Giles' Daughter
by Angelbach
Summary: Things are about to change for everyone in Sunnydale and for some more than others!
1. Chapter 1

Title: Giles' Daughter

Rating: PG

Disclaimer: The characters of Willow, Angel, Spike and others belong to Joss Whedon and Grr-Argh. Although if Angel and Spike ever wanted to stay with me, I'd never turn them down!

Note: This particular story has been on the go for a while. It's older than Reunion and OH but I think you'll understand why.

Note 2: Alternate Season 3.

Part One

"First things first, I have to phone Giles." Willow sighed heavily, brushing her red hair out of her eyes; her gaze fastened on the still figure in her bed, "Can't break a promise even if I am dead tired."

Rising wearily from the bed, she crossed slowly to her desk, sinking down into her chair and picked up the phone. Dialling the Watcher's number, she turned with an exhausted sigh to stare at her heavily covered windows. As she waited for the Watcher to answer, her tired eyes fell once more to the figure in the bed and her gaze softened.

"You're home now and I won't ever let you go again."

After three rings, the phone was answered. "Rupert Giles."

"It's finished, Giles. We have him safe."

"Willow! Thank God, I was beginning to get worried. Are you alright, child?"

Even down the phone line, the petite redhead could hear his sincere concern and a tired but warm smile of affection replaced the look of exhaustion for a brief space of time before fading once more.

"We're fine, Giles. Extremely tired but fine. In fact, Amy's already asleep in my spare room as we speak." She paused for a moment, drawing on what little strength she had left. "Giles, I don't want to leave him alone… I can't leave him alone."

There was a note in her voice he had never heard before. "I can be there in ten minutes."

He hesitated, unsure of how she would take it but pushed on. "Willow my dear, are you quite sure that it is…"

"Trust me, Giles, it is our Angel. I can feel it in my heart."

The simple but sure answer silenced the Watcher.

*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*

Ten minutes later exactly, his old car drew up outside the Rosenberg residence with a squeal of breaks and he emerged carrying a large sports bag. Locking his car, he turned round to find Willow leaning against the doorframe, clearly pale and exhausted. "Hello Giles."

"Good God, Willow!" He shot up the steps towards her, putting an arm around her waist steadying the small girl. For a moment, he was actually afraid that she would collapse. "Into the house, young lady before you fall."

He gently guided her into the living room, forcing her to lie down on the couch. The worn-out young woman promptly curled up against the cushions, yawning. "Angel… in my room… sleeping."

"All right Willow." He pushed her head gently but firmly onto the cushions. "Now try to get some sleep yourself. Restore your strength, little one. I'll check on Amy and… and Angel."

"You… promised me… Giles," Willow murmured as her eyes fluttered shut. "No… judging and… no… no stakes… promised."

"No stakes." Giles repeated, suppressing the stab of pain that hit him for a moment. "I gave you my word, Willow and I will keep it."

Satisfied with his response, she snuggled further into the cushions, stretching out. A final sigh fell from her lips and she stilled, exhaustion finally overwhelming her.

Once he was sure that the redhead was finally deep in sleep, Giles gently covered her with a rug that lay on the back of the sofa. He then picked up his bag and went through to the Rosenberg kitchen. Opening the fridge door, he found that the redhead had already made plenty of room for what he had brought with him.

"Now why am I surprised?" He murmured, shaking his head slightly in bemusement as he put the supplies into the fridge. "This is Willow after all."

He then went upstairs and unconsciously chose to check upon his young protégée's companion witch first. The blonde witch was actually lying face down on the bed, deep in exhausted sleep. Checking her pulse, he nodded to himself then threw a light blanket over her as well.

Leaving the spare room, he headed slowly for the open door at the end of the corridor. Taking a deep breath, he steeled himself and entered Willow's room. Crossing to the bed, he looked down at the sleeping figure the two girls had expanded so much personal energy over.

"I really hope…" He began, shaking his head. "Willow… dear child, I only hope you are not wrong about him."

With a resigned sigh, he settled into the chair at the bedside, opened a book and readied himself for the long wait. From past experience, he knew and expected an extremely long wait.

Over the next thirty-six hours, he periodically checked upon each of his three sleeping charges. The blonde witch woke up first; allowing the Watcher to grab some much needed sleep himself. With a show of great reluctance, and much to Giles' amusement, Amy took his place at the bedside, clutching a cross in her hand.

The Watcher was once again in charge when the old grandfather clock in the main hallway struck six the following evening. He was making his way to the kitchen when a noise from the living room caught his attention. Moving to the doorway, the Watcher discovered that the second of his three charges had woken up.

Stepping inside, he found the still fragile looking petite redhead getting to her feet. Although awake, she still looked extremely tired and he frowned slightly, concerned. "Willow."

The redhead spun round. "Oops! Note to self, don't do that." She muttered head to hand, "Hey Giles!" Yawning, she joined him in the doorway. "How long have I been out of it?"

"About a day and a half, young lady, Amy woke yesterday evening." He replied folding his arms. "Why do I get the feeling you and I need to talk about that."

To her credit, Willow actually blushed slightly but before she could phrase a reply, a frightening and terrifying scream filled the whole house, making them both jump.

"Dear goddess, Angel!" She exclaimed. "Giles, get the supplies."

"Willow…" Giles started to say, catching hold of her arm.

A second scream stopped him though.

Willow pushed past the startled Watcher, all evidence of exhaustion gone. She dashed up the stairs to her room two at a time, concern clouding her green eyes. Inside, the vampire was thrashing back and forth, his game face in evidence and contorted in extreme agony, eyes flashing in golden fury.

True to her nature, and without a single thought for her own safety, she went straight to the bed. Sitting down, she drew the sobbing vampire onto her arms, stroking soothing fingers through his spiky hair as she murmured soft, calming phrases. "Shush Angel, hush. You're safe now; they can't hurt you any more. You're home now. Hush. I've got you."

She looked up as Giles entered his arms full of bottle containing red liquid. "Willow, here."

"Thank you Giles." She took the first bottle, then gently lifted the dark-haired vampire's head and held it gently to his lips. The vampire caught the smell of blood immediately and started to drink like a man starved.

After several bottles, he slumped against the redhead's shoulder, his human face back once again. "Why, Willow why?"

The sheer agony and horror in his hoarse voice stunned the listening Watcher and even brought a sleepy Amy from the spare room.

"Is it…?" She began before Giles shot her a warning look, a look that had her mouth closing quickly.

Angel spoke again, sobs breaking his words. "You shouldn't have done it, Willow. You should have left me there. Dear God, I tried to hurt you. I killed Jenny Callender."

The hacker immediately placed a small hand over his mouth, silencing him. "No, no, Angel. That wasn't you. That was never you. That was *Angelus*."

The sheer belief and confidence in her voice was unfamiliar to the vampire but had slowly become more familiar to the listening Watcher and witch. It had after all convinced them to help her in the plan she had devised.

"But I am Angelus." The vampire groaned.

"No! You could never do such things, Angel. It's beyond you." She answered in so sure a tone; it brought a tear to Amy's eyes.

He raised dark tormented chocolate brown gaze to her emerald green eyes. "But you, Willow… and… and Buffy…"

A look of pain did pass through the redhead's eyes at the mention of her best friend's name. She had been badly hurt by the Slayer's disappearance, something she had kept securely to herself. In fact, Giles had only just begun to realise the true extent of her feelings when she had brought the plan to rescue Angel from Hell to him.

Therefore what she said next completely surprised even the Watcher.

She laid her small hand on Angel's cheek gently wiping a tear away. "Angel, Buffy brought a lot of what happened to her on herself, she's to blame. You mustn't blame yourself for that. I won't let you."

Giles stepped forward at that point, taking the chair at the bedside. Amy followed slowly, rolling the desk chair over to join them. Neither had failed to notice that Willow was still unconsciously holding the vampire in her arms; his own linked around her small waist as if it was his lifeline.

And neither appeared to be showing any immediate sign of letting the other go.

"As much as it pains me, Angel, I must agree with Willow with regards to Buffy." The sight of the vampire's real pain and guilt, plus the small hacker's continuing (and relentless) campaign had done much to alleviate the Watcher's own anguished memories. "You really should not blame yourself for Angelus' actions."

"I am Angelus, Giles." The vampire replied the anguish strong in his voice. He buried his head against the hacker's shoulder before he realised what he was doing and pushed away from her. "Why, Willow, why did you bring me back? Please, in Heaven's name, why?"

Willow caught hold of him again with a strength that until recently no-one had realised she had. It may also have helped that Angel did not try to break away from her, unwilling to risk the chance that he might hurt the petite redhead. A fact the Watcher recorded almost subconsciously.

"Because I've missed my friend," She told him, tears sparkling in her eyes as she held them back. She did however wipe the tears from his handsome face, her fingers lingering for a moment on his cheeks, "Because the shadows are scarier now without you, Angel, than when you were Angelus."

Freeing herself, she stood up and moved away, swaying slightly as exhaustion once more settled over her, totally unaware as to how ethereally beautiful she looked – especially to the newly returned vampire. Turning to look at him again, she caught his haunted gaze with her sincere truthful honest gaze, her whole heart and soul in her eyes if she did but know it.

"Because quite simply Angel we need you."

She took a deep breath and continued, "Because I need you, Angel."

With that, she promptly proceeded to scare them all by passing out in front of them without warning.

*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*

Moving with all the superior speed of his kind, Angel caught her before she even touched the ground almost snatching her out of the air in mid fall. Turning, he carried her back to the bed and gently laid her down, brushing her hair away from her pale face. Satisfied that she was all right and merely sleeping, he swung round to face the Watcher and blonde witch.

"Giles, what's going on?" He demanded his whole manner and attitude one of concern for the unconscious girl, all evidence of his own weakness banished. "What's wrong with Willow?"

The answer however came from the unexpected direction of Amy Madison. "Oops!"

Immediately the vampire and Watcher turned to face the young woman who had a hand over her mouth. The guilty façade she presented them with gave Giles all the explanation he needed, being aware of all Willow had hoped to do.

"Amy, please tell me she didn't." He demanded removing his glasses nervously, cleaning them with his handkerchief and replacing them. "She said she would wait until the time was right, not do both."

"I, I… really wish I could, Mr Giles, but I can't." Amy stammered, moving her chair backwards. "It was as if she knew. I could see it in her eyes the moment we brought him out. Some instinct told her if she didn't do it when she had the opportunity she would never be allowed to."

The blonde witch nodded towards the vampire now sitting on the bed beside Willow. He was at present holding her small hand in his, unconsciously running the other up and down her arm. "Willow said Angel would have stopped her."

"Giles, if you and Amy have quite finished…" Angel's slightly and more surprisingly, very sarcastic tone was insistent. "Would one of you please tell me why Willow has totally passed out? What has she done? What wouldn't I have allowed?"

Giles spun back round to look at the vampire. He had now released Willow's hand, and was looking as if his demon face would emerge at any moment. At that point, he basely chose to pass the buck to the unconscious girl and apologised mentally to her. '_Sorry Willow_.'

"Giles what?" Angel growled.

"Other than rescuing you from Hell, I take it you mean." Angel nodded and Giles indicated to the young woman the vampire was still unconsciously shielding with his body. "I really think that under the circumstances Willow should be the one to tell you, Angel, when she wakes up."

"Then I'll wait for her." Speaking with sincerity the Watcher had never heard before, the vampire stood up and covered the sleeping redhead with a blanket before sitting down on the floor. He leant back against the bed and closed his eyes. "After what she has done for me, I'll do anything for her for all eternity and beyond."

The note in his voice was enough to convince the Watcher. Rising, he shooed Amy out of the room, then paused in the doorway. "Call us when she wakes up Angel."

"My word on it," The vampire replied simply.

Once again the Rosenberg residence fell into deep silence as they waited for the young woman they were all concerned about to wake up from her restorative sleep. For another twenty-four hours, they watched over the petite redhead, although Amy spent a majority of the time sleeping as well, building up her own strength.

Angel never moved from his position at the bedside as he also continued to build up his strength once again following his nightmare sojourn in Hell. The only time he did move was when Giles brought him the blood he needed to physically recover from his ordeal.

Both Amy and the Watcher just happened to be in the bedroom when Willow started to stir once again signalling her return to consciousness, bringing the vampire up from the floor and onto the bed. His hand went to her pale cheek as the other two sat down.

"Wake up Willow." He said softly, running his fingers down her cheek. "Come back to me little one."

"Huh… Angel!" His name left her lips as eyelids fluttering; she came out of the deep restorative witch healing sleep. "Angel." She sighed again.

As her emerald green eyes opened completely, they looked straight up into the dark vampire's concerned chocolate brown eyes. "Tell me, Ionúin, what exactly have you been up to."

Giles' eyes widened at the Irish pet name Angel bestowed upon the redhead and in typical Watcher fashion, he mentally stowed it away. What made an even deeper impression on the Englishman was that the vampire had used the name completely and utterly unconsciously.

And for some strange reason, the Watcher found himself literally waiting to see how the petite redhead would respond.

Willow lifted her hand to the handsome vampire's face, running her fingers gently over his cheek before brushing his hair back, seemed to understand immediately what he was asking. "Angel…" She started softly. "Angel, I… I anchored your soul… permanently. You're here to stay forever, my friend."

The simple words had a profound effect on the dark haired vampire as, for the second time in two days, he found himself completely overwhelmed by his emotions. Once again he broke down in heartfelt sobs, unable to believe just how much the petite redhead had risked… and all for him.

He buried his head against her, hiding the blood red tears falling down his cheeks, his whole body shaking. The redhead's response was immediate, coming from her pure, innocent and trusting heart. She sat up, wrapping her arms around him. The vampire immediately moved his arms around her waist, burying his head against her stomach.

The Watcher found himself stunned by just how beautiful Willow looked at that moment. He was also struck by a strange feeling of deja vu as an old memory threatened to reveal itself but it quickly faded away again.

An extremely gentle smile crossed her face as she soothed the emotional vampire, running her fingers through his hair once more. It seemed to grow even more angelic as she murmured something to him the Watcher only just heard.

"Welcome home my Angel. Welcome home forever."

*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*

_And I am back, girls and boys, with my favourite of favourite pairings._

_The updates on this one will not be anything like CR (those that read those ones!) but will be when I feel the chapter is ready._

_So with that, looking forward to seeing what you have to say!_


	2. Chapter 2

See Part 1 for disclaimer

*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*

Part Two

Two months later, Giles found himself sitting in his office, nursing a cup of tea as he thought about the various changes that had occurred amongst his charges since Willow and Amy had brought Angel back from the depths of Hell.

The most expected reaction, and in one respect perhaps the most painful to Willow herself had been Xander's reaction to the two girls' exploits. Even now the Watcher could see the scene, almost as if it was once more being played out before him.

A week to the day after they had retrieved the vampire from the depths of hell, Xander had been in his usual seat at the library table alternatively turning a page then stuffing a piece of pizza into his mouth. His girlfriend Cordelia had been in the chair next to him, doing a manicure of her already perfect nails.

Amy, the newest member of the Scooby Gang as Xander persisted in calling the small group, had been sitting on the stairs leading up to the stacks, studying a new spell book. In fact she had been studying the book so diligently; he had almost missed the frequent looks the blonde witch had been sending towards the main doors of the library.

He himself, he recalled, had been leaning against the counter, waiting for Willow to arrive with Angel. They had discussed it the day she had woken up, agreeing that it would give both witches and vampire more time to recover from their respective journeys.

"And more time to think of what to say to Xander." The redhead had said just before he had left her home. "Who I swear is going to have a fit."

The redheaded hacker had actually announced her arrival by sticking her head around the double doors. "Uh… hey guys." The note in her voice had been more reminiscent of the young woman he had first met at the beginning of his time as Buffy Summer's Watcher.

Xander had looked up grinning. "Yo! Willster, what are you doing over there. We're all friends here. Come on in, girl."

The look of agony that had crossed her face was almost comical now that he thought about it. She had turned back, appearing to tug on something behind her, and then entered the library. She had been followed closely by the dark haired vampire.

The result had been instant and complete utter pandemonium… Xander-fashion.

Xander had scrambled to his feet, pizza flying across the room as he had pulled Cordelia behind him. "What the… Willow, are you crazy? Have you completely lost your mind? What have you done?"

Willow had immediately tried to plead with her best friend. "Xander please, calm down. We… we need Angel. Without him, we're not strong enough to deal with everything the Hellmouth has started to throw at us. Xan, please, try and understand."

"But that bastard killed Jenny Callendar, Willow. Remember her, you know, your dead mentor." He had thrown at her with painful accuracy, uncaring that he had hurt both her and Giles before throwing another harsh blow at her. "How could you betray us like this?"

For a moment, Willow had actually taken a step backwards, almost as if he had hit her. "Xander, please, listen to…"

"No!" The irate young man had cut her off. "I'll never trust you again, Willow. This is just too much… You're either possessed or you've gone mad, completely mad."

"Harris!" Angel had eventually spoken at that point, having seen the redhead going white. He had growled the younger man's name, his eyes flashing dangerously. "Leave Willow alone."

"Stay out this Deadboy." Xander had growled back, drawing a stake out of his pocket as he did so. "Just tell me when, Willow, when did you actually betray us?" He had waved the stake at the vampire, "By… by bringing that… that murderous creature back from Hell."

Unable to listen in silence as he had attacked Willow with a viciousness she had never heard from him before, Amy had spoken up at that point. "Leave her alone, Xander. Giles and I helped her bring Angel out of Hell a week ago."

"I can't believe this." Xander had shaken his head in sheer disbelief. "Giles, how could you even consider helping them. He tortured you, for heaven's sake."

"Willow's reasoning was extremely convincing, believe me." The Watcher had replied calmly. "Xander, your behaviour is completely out of proportion for what has occurred."

He had been completely ignored as Xander's brain finally caught up with what precisely Amy had actually said and the boy completely exploded. "A week! A bloody week! Damn you, Deadboy, this is all you're fault. I'm going to get rid of you once and for all."

With that, he had started for the vampire, stake raised in the air. The others had been stunned into inaction as Willow had flown at him, latching like a limpet onto the arm holding the stake as she had tried to wrestle it away from him. Her initial impact had thrown the young man completely off balance and the scrapping pair had landed on the floor with a hard thump.

That sound had broken the stupor that had fallen over the library and as one; Giles and Angel had sprung forward into the fray. Each had grabbed one of the two combatants, the vampire grabbing the angrily sobbing hacker around the waist and pulling her up into his arms. In response, she had turned burying her face against him.

As Angel had attempted to calm the furious redhead, Giles had eventually resorted to using his Ripper voice to command the younger man to gain control of himself. "Alexander, control yourself. You could have hurt Willow just then."

Xander had looked at him, angrily surprised. "Me hurt her! Are you out of your mind as well, Giles? She attacked me to save that damned killer vampire."

Willow however had thrown a comment at her oldest friend in response - a comment that had stunned him into silence. "Do you realise just how jealous you sound, Xander Harris. The only real thing you're mad at is that we didn't ask you to be involved."

And the whole group had been stunned by Cordelia's sudden entrance into the verbal fight arena.

"Willow is so right, Xander. You really should hear yourself." She had snapped at her boyfriend as she had moved forward to stand with Amy. "You've just accused our Willow, our far too nice, too sweet sometimes but always the best of intentions Willow Rosenberg of one of the cruellest things possible. She's just not capable of betraying anyone. So grow up, dweeb boy."

Giles returned to the present day and found him self smiling. Even now, he was unsure as to who had been more gob smacked: Xander at being thoroughly told off by both girls he was closest to or Willow at being stuck up for by the girl she had until that point still considered to be an old foe.

The smile was slowly replaced by a deep frown as he rose to look out of his office window at the young redhead working behind the computer. The argument had caused a serious rift between Xander and Willow that still had not healed. The situation had not been helped in any way whatsoever when the redhead discovered that Xander had not passed on the message about the second soul restoration attempt to the still absent slayer.

The petite redhead had taken it hard, hitting him across the face with a slap that had rung round the library, actually knocking his head back. "And you call what I did betrayal. You hypocrite! Alexander Harris, you... Bloody hypocrite!"

She had turned to the only person she felt she could really trust: Angel. He had immediately drawn her into his arms, glaring at the young man. Even now, a month and a half later, there remained an aura of real hurt betrayal surrounding the hacker as Xander's cruel words still played upon her very sensitive heart.

Even the Watcher knew that Willow had very few friendships and those she did have, she cherished deeply. Especially the friendship she had always had with Xander even if for a while she had thought it was something different. A fact that Giles had only recently discovered now that the petite redhead had realised that it wasn't.

His expression changed again to one of extreme thoughtfulness as the vampire silently emerged from the shadows to join Willow at the computer. He watched as Angel gently laid a hand on her shoulder and the hacker turned to look up at him, a gentle smile of welcome on her lips before returning back to the screen, drawing his attention to it.

"I never thought I would say this again about him." He found himself murmuring. "But thank God for Angel. If not for him… I don't know how she would have coped with recent events." He sighed deeply, folding his arms. "For that alone, I'm glad she rescued him."

Indeed Willow had compensated for the almost disastrous but hopefully temporary break with Xander by strengthening her other friendships, beginning with her old friendship with Amy. In doing so, both girls had begun to grow in leaps and bounds in their magical abilities, Willow surprising them all as she swiftly caught up with Amy and fully looking as if she was going to surpass her. In some aspects of their craft, she already had.

She also had a fast growing friendship with Cordelia, begun by the brunette's unexpected partisanship the night they had told them of Angel's return. Both girls were continually surprised by the unexpected friendship they now had, being so different in character and tastes but were both equally determined to not let it deter them.

Then there was the friendship, and more importantly, the bond she now shared with the handsome dark haired vampire.

"Ah yes, the bond Willow now shares with Angel." He mused aloud.

As his gaze fastened on the couple, he thought about the most important change of all. The change that should concern him the most considering the vampire's past history with the absent Buffy but strangely didn't.

*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*

The unexpected side effect of Angel's rescue from Hell and the permanent anchoring of his soul by the young witch had been discovered the third week of his return.

The Slayerettes and the Watcher had been doing a sweep of the park when they had been attacked by a large group of vampires.

Fighting valiantly, the four teenagers and the Watcher had begun to go under when seemingly from out of nowhere; Angel had arrived in game face and growling. The dark haired vampire had gone for the two attacking Willow at the time of his arrival, breaking the neck of one and stabbing the second with the stake he had taken from her.

His furious arrival and help had spurred the small group on. Willow had moved to cover his back as they finished the group of vampires quickly and efficiently. Once they had all turned to dust, the Slayerettes had all collapsed to the grass.

"How? Angel… you… were… nowhere… near us!" Cordelia had gasped, desperately taking in air as she leant against Xander. Breathing deeply, she looked across at him. "You… couldn't… have… known we… were in trouble."

The vampire had turned from the redhead, after ensuring that she had not been hurt a puzzled frown on his handsome face and replied. "Believe me Cordelia, I don't know. I just had this sudden feeling that Willow was in trouble and was calling out for me."

The Watcher just happened to be looking at the petite redhead when she gave a sudden gasp of shock. "Willow, what's wrong?"

"I… I… could feel him." She had stuttered, grabbing the hand Angel held out to her, pulling her up from the ground. At Giles' inquiring look, she had continued, "Angel on the other side of the park. When we were attacked, I called his name out in my head."

"That's what I heard!" Angel had said in stunned shock, looking down at the petite redhead he was unconsciously drawing closer. "I heard Willow calling me."

"Intriguing," Giles had found himself replying, thereby managing to infuriate everyone. Willow had actually punched him in the arm making them laugh as well.

Over the month and half that followed, they had discovered that the vampire and the redhead could sense each other's presence and emotions, even thoughts. Somehow, no matter where he was Willow always knew when Angel was brooding and would either go to him or call him.

It also appeared to be likewise with Angel where the petite hacker was concerned. He would appear from out of nowhere when Willow was in trouble, a strange anger fuelling him as he fought for the girl he considered under his protection. It also seemed to draw him out when her spirits were low and almost equalling him in brooding – something he seemed most especially determined to prevent.

Privately, and for the first time, Giles admitted to himself, the bond between them went even deeper. There was an almost mystical closeness between them that went beyond mere words; a closeness that he had never seen at any time between the Slayer and the ensouled vampire. On the face of it, it was based upon the petite redhead's simple acceptance of what the vampire was and her total trust in who he was.

Underneath it went deeper.

In fact at times it appeared as if they were unconsciously reading each other's minds. Even in the middle of a fight they knew what the other was doing, working as a perfect team. He had even thrown her up in the air and caught her in the middle of a fight once, staking two vampires as he did so.

It appeared to be the basis for what drew the hacker to the handsome vampire for no reason what so ever when he appeared to be brooding on what his alter ego had done. She seemed to have developed the uncanny ability to tease him out of his dark moods, surprising them all by making him laugh with her sly observations.

It had also been Willow who had persuaded Angel to once more rejoin their research parties and patrols, a fact for which the Watcher was profoundly thankful. His added strength, tactical abilities and knowledge combined with the growing magical abilities of both Amy and Willow did a great deal in balancing the continued absence of the Slayer in their fight on their Hellmouth.

*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*

_Here's the second part, so now I'm about to start looking for reviews if you're interested in leaving them!_

_Looking forward to seeing what you have to see ;op_


	3. Chapter 3

See part 1 for disclaimer

*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*

Part Three

The Watcher's introspective thoughts were broken abruptly as Xander suddenly burst in the office door. "G-man, the Willster's found something on the computer she says you really need to see, like now."

"Xander!" Sighing, he stood up. "How many times must I ask you not to call me by that… that particular name?"

"I've lost count." The youth replied insouciantly as he rejoined the others, more concerned with glaring at Angel as he still had his hand on Willow's shoulder. "Anyone know the total?"

"Fifteen this summer." The hacker murmured deliberately ignoring the strange vibes around her as she continued to read the screen. "Or should that be this week!"

Cordelia giggled, linking her arm in her stunned boyfriend's. "Nice shot, Willow and spot on, so spot on at that."

"Yes, I thought so." Willow peered round the screen at the couple, her eyes sparkling brightly with sheer mischief. "And I wasn't even trying, Cordy."

"What is this, Pick on Xander Day?" He grouched.

"Well now that you mention it…" Angel murmured an equally humorous glint in his dark eyes. "It's one of your better ideas."

Beside him, Willow swallowed a giggle.

"Very funny Deadboy." Xander said with a growl that would do a vampire proud.

"I thought so." The vampire replied as he moved aside to allow the Watcher to take his place behind Willow sharing a grin with the redhead.

"Angel, Xander, this is neither the time nor the place for one of your ongoing arguments." Giles commanded suddenly as he finished reading the screen, making the teenagers jump and the vampire widen his eyes in surprise. He returned his attention to the hacker. "Willow, can you find out where this has come from."

"Give me a couple of minutes and I'll see what I can do." The redhead set to work immediately, her fingers flying over the keyboard with phenomenal speed. The others moved away, allowing her the peace to concentrate.

"Giles, what's all the fuss about? I never actually saw." Cordelia released Xander's arm and jumped up on to the booking counter, pushing her hair back.

The Watcher looked up, peering over his glasses for a moment. "Someone used Willow's email address, not the general one she uses to hide behind and warned us that we have major trouble heading our way."

"Please tell me you're kidding us." Xander looked at the Watcher disbelievingly.

"Have you gone quite deaf this evening, Xander?" Giles entered his office and picked up a book before returning to Willow's side as she pushed her keyboard away. "Any luck Willow?"

"No! Blast them." Willow actually thumped the table in an uncharacteristic show of anger. "Who ever sent it knew how to cover their tracks way too well." She stood up, wrapping her arms around her waist. "Giles, this is so not good, is it, so not good at all."

"No Willow. I'm afraid it isn't."

"Would someone please tell me what the actual message said?" Cordelia asked in her most plaintive tone. "Like some time this evening."

Willow moved slowly across to the vampire's side, leaning against him trustingly as she almost unconsciously sought his protection. Angel responded automatically to the silent request, wrapping his arms about her and resting his chin on her head. He ran his hand up and down her arm, encouraging the petite girl silently.

Taking a deep breath, hand in the vampire's, she answered the brunette finally. "Someone used my real name email address to send a warning message to Amy and me, Cordy. It would seem that there is a warlock of some kind heading towards the Hellmouth. Every town he passes through he seems to seek out people with magical abilities, just like us."

"Then what?" Cordelia asked as the redhead stopped. "There has to be more to it than that to get his Watcherness anxious. Spill, Willow."

"He challenges them to something that can only be called a duel. So far he's left half his victims in comas, drained of magic."

"And the other half?" Even as she asked the question, Cordelia could feel a wave of dread go through her in anticipation of the answer.

"Vanished… or dead," Angel responded, tightening his arms around Willow as he felt her shiver.

"What!" Xander reacted exactly as the petite girl had expected, his concern for his best friend over-riding the arguments that had gone before them in the previous months. His stunned gaze fell on Willow. "Please tell me that this is a joke, an extremely bad one but a joke."

"Xander, the sender referred to both Willow and Amy by name." Angel replied as Giles once more rejoined them. "Let alone the email address. That itself speaks of someone who knows us."

He tightened his hold around her even further as the shiver became a shudder.

"So just who is this so-called wizard?" Xander stormed his attitude causing Cordelia to roll her eyes and Willow to sigh heavily leaning her head against Angel's shoulder, hiding her face.

Only he heard her mutter though and sensed that she had rolled her eyes. "Oh! For goodness sake, Xan!"

"That's what we now have to research, Xander." Giles removed his glasses and proceeded to clean them. "However someone should inform Amy of this approaching danger, seeing that she was unable to join us this evening."

"We'll do that on the way home now, Giles." Cordelia jumped down from the counter and grabbed her boyfriend by the arm. She then proceeded to pull him across the library to the double doors. "My parents are expecting us for dinner tonight but if we go now, we can fit in a sweep of the park as well."

"Thank you Cordelia. I accept your offer with appreciation." Giles called after them just before the doors swung shut behind them. Grinning, he turned back to Willow and Angel to find them smiling in amusement as well. "She did offer after all. Willow perhaps…"

"I know, I know, net girl to work." She grinned at him, then turned in Angel's arms to look up at him with soulful puppy eyes, a look she had learnt from him and used with a bit more success especially against the vampire. "Dinner please?"

The mock plaintive tone she also used had him rolling his eyes as he released her. He leant over the counter to pick up the phone. "Will pizza do my lady?" He asked in a fake servile tone as he mockingly bowed to her.

"That will do nicely, my man." She replied in a mock upper crust manner, waving her hand as she went back to her seat at the computer. "Hawaiian grand supreme, extra banana. Giles?" She fell back on her normal voice. "You're looking extremely absorbed. Have you thought of something?"

Just as she finished speaking, the Watcher reached the second level of the library and he leant on the banister to look down at her. "I do believe I may have seen something similar to this in one of my books. I just need to track it down."

He promptly disappeared into the stacks, a determined expression on his face leaving the young hacker to shake her head in amusement as she returned to her screen – completely unaware of the similar expression on her own.

*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*

Finishing his call, Angel turned and leant against the book counter. His thoughtful gaze fell almost naturally on the redhead as she worked - a habit he had recently formed in the past month. A smile grew in his dark eyes as she flicked back a lock of her now shoulder length hair, a look of irritation passing swiftly through her eyes.

Once again he found himself amazed and astounded by just how much she had so willingly risked rescuing him from the depths of Hell. While he and Willow had been recovering Giles had told the vampire that the petite redhead had literally browbeaten both himself and Amy into helping her.

He had only been able to keep repeating her name, stunned. "Willow, our Willow."

Even now she continually surprised him. One moment she was brimming with confidence, a powerful young witch in the making. She was totally sure of herself and in complete command of everything and everyone around her. The next moment she was back to her shy and insecure self once again. In either form, which he admitted to himself was now growing together in to a persona that was and always would be uniquely Willow, she had been his champion, bringing him back into the Slayerette fold.

She also fought against his own dark side, continually trying to convince him that he was not to blame for Angelus' actions but the demon while simultaneously doing the same to the others as well.

But it was her absolute trust and true friendship that meant the most to him. More than he could put into words even to himself, let alone anyone else if they were to ask him what made her so important to him these days (especially as there were a lot of things that he was not yet ready to admit even to himself at times).

A firm hit to his chest bought him out of his dark thoughts and startled, he looked down to find the petite object of his thoughts standing in front of him, a sly grin on her face.

"What was that for, álainn?" He asked folding his arms, raising a single eyebrow at her as he looked down at her.

"You were brooding, Angel. Haven't we talked about that" She punched his arm before her look became mischievous and she opened up her hand to him, wriggling her fingers. "My pizza's here and I've not got enough. Please, pretty please."

With a shake of his head, a smile starting to emerge, he reached into the pocket of his jeans to pull out his wallet. Drawing a twenty-dollar bill out, he handed it over to the bouncing redhead. "Go get your supper, Will. I'll let Giles know."

Grinning she took the bill and skipped away to pay the delivery boy. "I'll pay you back tomorrow, Angel." She called over her shoulder.

Before Angel even moved, the Watcher appeared, carrying several books. He reached the bottom of the steps just as Willow returned carrying her pizza box.

"I'm extremely thankful Xander's not here." He commented wryly as she sat down.

"Believe me, so is my wallet." The vampire added as he sat down next to the redhead.

"Hey, leave Xander alone. It's not fair picking on him." Willow objected glaring at them both and hitting the vampire.

"It's not!" Angel and Giles said simultaneously looking at each other.

"Well, not when he's not here to hear you." At this nice statement, and said with an air of complete innocence, the vampire and Watcher started to laugh while the redheaded hacker merely opened the box and started to eat.

An hour later, Willow logged off and pushed her chair back. "That's it, Giles, my eyes are blurring even I've had enough."

As her soft voice penetrated his concentration, Giles glanced at his watch. "Good grief is that really the time. I hadn't realised it was so late. We really ought to do a sweep of the cemetery."

"I can do that." Angel stood up, closing the book he had been reading. "Giles, why don't you see…?"

"Oh no you don't Angel," Willow interrupted him. "I'd never hear the end of it from the others if I don't go."

"In that case, I'll think I'll join you." Giles murmured quietly, disrupting the glares they were now playfully throwing at each other. "The Council recently requested a current status report and now would be as good a time as any to complete it."

Concern dulling her green eyes, Willow was at his side immediately. "Giles, the Council aren't still having a go at you over Buffy, are they? Please tell me they're not, I'd hate it if they were, especially as it's not your fault."

"No, Willow, they are not as a matter of fact. My report regarding Angel's rescue from Hell and your particular part in it seems to have silenced them upon that subject entirely." Giles spoke with a note of sheer pride in his voice as he looked down at the girl he considered his daughter. "By the way, hadn't you better stock up, Willow. I seem to remember you saying you were running low on supplies this afternoon."

"Oops, I'd almost forgotten." As Willow went into the cage where the weapons were kept hidden, Angel moved towards the Watcher.

"Giles, a current status report on what?" He asked quietly, keeping his voice even lower than normal to make sure the hacker could not hear him. "And why do I get the feeling that it should be who?"

"The Scooby Gang as Xander persists in calling them." Giles replied looking briefly towards the hacker as she pulled stakes out of the supply box, "But in particular Amy and Willow."

He frowned slightly. "Recently, I have been getting this strange feeling that they know something about Willow that we don't Angel."

"Please tell me she's not…" Angel broke off, a feeling of dread beginning to grow as he waited for the Watcher's answer. "Giles please… not my Willow."

"No thank God." Giles said with wholehearted fervour. "I can safely say that she is not."

"Is not what?" Willow's sudden inquiry startled them both and they turned to find her watching them, amusement lighting up her green eyes as her gaze went from the Watcher to the vampire. "Well, tell me?"

"It's not important, Will." Angel responded quickly as he tried to divert her attention. "Have you got what you need, álainn."

"I'm packed and ready to go." She replied successfully diverted, although a curious look crossed her face as she clearly stored the part conversation that she had heard in her compartmentalised memory system (otherwise known as her brain!). She started to look round the library for something as she picked up her backpack up. "Oh bother, I left my jacket in Cordy's car."

"Willow, that's the second time this week." Grinning, Angel took off his leather jacket and handed it to her, "If you like my jacket that much, keep it."

She threw her backpack at him and put his jacket on, then stuck her tongue out at him. He merely chuckled silently, throwing her backpack back.

"I've locked up so if you two are quite ready." Giles waited for them on the second level, a deeply amused look in his eyes as he watched the pair tease each other with such ease. "It's time to sweep the cemetery."

"After you," Willow waved the way pass.

"No after you, I insist." Angel grinned and waved her pass.

"No really Angel, after you." Willow grinned back, "Age before beauty." Then giggled, blushing as well. "Although, I suppose in your case, both count."

"When you two have quite finished…" Giles inserted smiling himself at the comedy being played out before him.

Angel responded by sweeping the giggling redhead over his shoulder and carrying her up the stairs to join the Watcher.

*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*

An hour later, Willow sat on top of an old gravestone watching a newly filled grave with what could only be called utmost indifference. Angel was leaning against an old yew tree in the shadows, his dark gaze divided between to redhead and the grave. The Watcher was sitting a slight distance away on the steps of an old mausoleum, making notes.

"This is boor-ing!" Willow's singsong tone suddenly filled the air, "Like so, so boring."

"I am well aware of that, Willow but thank you for letting us all know. I'm sure that Angel and I truly appreciate being told though." Giles informed his protégée, not even bothering to hide his smile.

"Nice impression of Cordelia though, álainna," Angel's low, amused voice reached her easily and she grinned in reply, sure that his enhanced night sight would catch it easily. "You've been on form tonight. Pity Xander and Cordelia haven't been around to hear you."

"Ah well, them's the breaks." She sighed in mock disappointment, swinging her feet against the stone. "I'll just have to think of something to say tomor… o-oh guys the vamp's finally decided to make an appearance."

"You know what to do, Will." Angel's game face fell into place as she jumped off the headstone, "Ready to go."

"I'm on it." Willow replied as a stake slipped down her sleeve into her hand. She wrinkled her pretty nose in disgust. "Ugh! This one smells."

The newborn vampire crawled out of his grave, dirt falling off him. His demon visage was in full view as he tracked down her heartbeat and he zeroed in on her.

"Ah dinner," He growled, eyes flashing, "And on tap, how nice."

"Sorry but I'm not on the menu." Willow replied with surprising confidence thereby startling the newborn vampire and the Watcher.

"Slayer!" The fledgling growled.

"Ugh! No! Slayerette." At her flippant reply, the fledgling launched himself at her, growling furiously and she responded in pure Willow-fashion. She ducked under his flailing arms, pressing her stake in to an already moving Angel, "New batter up."

As the elder vampire caught it, she swept a foot out and knocked the new vampire down. Scrambling to her feet, she scattered to the Watcher's side, breathing heavily as she leant into him for a second, catching her breath. "Hi Giles, wasn't that so much fun."

"Are you alright, Willow?" Giles asked concerned.

"I'm just fine." She replied, sinking to the floor beside him. She brushed back a lock of hair. "I hate being bait."

"But you do it so well, álainn." Angel rejoined them, dusting him self off. "They can't resist you."

"Thank you… not. Cordy does it better."

"Willow, Cordelia screams." Giles reminded her in a dry tone, "And screams loudly."

"That's the whole point, Giles. It tends to disorientate them even more, making them easier to stake. Every advantage, remember." Willow drew Angel's jacket closer around her as a cool breeze started to blow through the cemetery. "She practised for two days to get it pitch perfect."

"Please Willow. I still have nightmares about the talent show." Both Giles and Willow shuddered at the memory, "Was that the only one for tonight."

"The only one with puncture marks." Came her casual reply as she slowly got to her feet and put her backpack on. "And he was late by vampire standards."

"Then I suggest we finally call it a night. Angel, if Willow doesn't object this time..." Giles put his notebook in his pocket. "Perhaps you could walk her home."

As Willow was doing her best to hide a yawn at that precise moment, both vampire and Watcher shared an amused but understanding look. Angel then placed his hands on the slender redhead's shoulders, turned her and gently pushed her out of the dark cemetery.

The Watcher followed behind the pair, stopping at the iron gates to watch them walk down the street. Angel had moved his arm to around her shoulders gently guiding her towards her home. The hacker was looking up at him, her face animated in the streetlights as she told her vampire friend something.

What ever it was the redhead had told him the vampire laughed out loud and she appeared to bounce happily as she took his hand in her own. She then proceeded to swing their joined hands between them as they disappeared from the Watcher's view.

"Yes." Giles thought to himself. "There is most definitely something between them that Angel and Buffy never had any time."

He folded his arms and rested his chin in his fingers. "I just wish I knew why it feels so… right and more importantly, why I am so unconcerned by the thought of it."

With that thought uppermost in his mind, he turned for his own home.

*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*

_And thank you for the reviews I have received._

_As always looking forward to seeing what you have to say ;op_


	4. Chapter 4

See disclaimer in part 1

*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*

Part Four

As they approached her home, Willow made for the front door instead of her balcony, pulling the vampire with her. "Come on in Angel. They're away again." She told him as she dug into her jean pockets for her door keys, "Business trip."

"Again!" The dark-haired vampire repeated as she opened the door and followed her in. He was continuously amazed by just how little the Rosenberg's appeared to care for the petite redhead's safety and the way they were never for her. "I didn't even know they'd come back."

Willow reached out a hand to turn on the living room lights, dropping her backpack on the floor, speaking as she did so. "Briefly yesterday morning, I must have been at Amy's. I came back to find a credit card on the breakfast counter with a note saying 'For whatever new clothes and schoolbooks you might need. Also for your meals and whatever bills that may arise. We should be home in three weeks but may be delayed.' Loving note to leave your only child."

"I can not believe your parents." He growled, furious and sick at heart for how forlorn she looked. "They don't deserve to have a daughter like you, the way they treat you."

She sank down onto the nearest couch, closing her eyes in mental exhaustion. "Don't worry about it Angel. I'm used to it, especially these last two years."

He sat beside her, pushing a lock of hair away from her eyes before resting his hand on her pale cheek. "Are you really, Willow. Be honest with me now, álainn. Remember I know what you're really feeling."

"Oh Goddess why, Angel, why do they keep doing this to me, why?" She turned to him and buried her head against his chest, shaking with violent sobs long suppressed. He responded automatically by wrapping his arms around her, rubbing her back in comforting strokes as he murmured nonsensical words in her hair, trying to soothe her.

"My poor ionúin," He thought to himself.

Gradually he felt her sobbing slowing down as her breathing pattern changed as well. Smiling he realised that she was literally falling asleep in his arms and he ran a hand down her arm. "Willow, ionúin, you can't fall asleep here, baby, upstairs sleepyhead."

"Noo, Angel!" She groaned settling her head more comfortably against him, a hand resting on his chest, "Too comfortable, nice Angel-pillow."

"Little one, you'll find it easier to sleep in your own bed." He bent down to murmur in her ear in complete amusement. "So unless you want me to carry you upstairs and undress you, álainn it's time to get moving."

Seconds later as her brain realised exactly what he had said, her eyes sprang open and she jumped to her feet, blushing madly as she moved away backwards,. "No, no wake now, on my feet, going upstairs by myself. Yes, all by my little self."

With that she scattered towards the stairs, taking her jacket off and dropping it over the curve of his arm. He followed her, turning for the front door intending to leave. "Get a good night's sleep, Willow. I'll see you tomorrow in the library."

"Angel, please don't go… stay."

There was something in her voice that made him stop. He turned round to find the petite girl standing on the stairs, a pleading look in her beautiful green eyes. A look he couldn't resist as he realised that the e-mail from earlier in the evening had disturbed her more than she had previously revealed. He found himself almost overwhelmed by a sense of sheer pride in the petite young redhead on the stairs before him.

He quickly made his decision.

"All right, Willow, if that's what you want, I will. Now go. I'll check on your doors."

"Angel protecto-vamp!" She grinned down at him mischievously, and then dashed up the remainder of the stairs laughing as he took a mock-threatening step towards her.

"You won't escape. Will. I'll get you back eventually."

She bent over the banister and looked down at him grinning. "I'm sure you will Angel." She stuck her tongue out at him and disappeared laughing.

A rare smile lingered in the handsome vampire's dark eyes as he watched her go, almost frozen in place. He had started to move away when a sound stopped him and he looked up at the stairs. "Willow…"

Seconds later, her terrified scream had the vampire moving at his highest speed to the second level. In less than ten seconds, he had reached the shaking redhead and had surrounded her in his protective hold, her face buried against his chest. A swift glance through her open bedroom door told him all he needed to know and his eyes flashed amber.

Willow's room had been completely, even maliciously ripped apart. Even her toy frog, a gag gift from Xander to help her get over her phobia with frogs was in several pieces on the floor. Her computer lay ruined on the desk and the floor. The whole room was covered in paint the colour of blood, almost as the person who had vandalised the room hadn't been satisfied with merely destroying it.

Sweeping her up into his arms, he carried her downstairs and placed her into the corner of the sofa. Gently removing the leather jacket she was clutching tightly to her, he covered her with it, and then ran a soothing hand through her hair. "It will be alright, ionúin. I promise you."

He then sat down beside her and picked up the phone. As he dialled Giles' number, Willow wriggled round on the sofa next to him until she was buried against his side, beginning to shake slightly as shock settled into her small frame.

Angel moved allowing her to curl up even closer, his arm around her small body.

"Rupert Giles."

"Giles its Angel, there's no other way of putting this, so I'm going to be blunt. Someone has broken into the Rosenberg house and has completely destroyed Willow's room. From what I can sense it's the only room that has been touched. Everything has been utterly ruined."

"Dear God, is Willow alright?"

"Will's in shock, Giles. She can't stop shaking." A whimper of pain escaped the redhead's lips and Angel drew her even closer, tightening his protective hold. She wrapped her arms about his waist, shaking even more than before as she almost tried to burrow herself into him. "I was going to take her back to my place

"No, bring her here, Angel." Giles said firmly. "I'll prepare my guest room for her and you, so that we can both keep watch over her tonight. I'll expect you in about fifteen minutes."

"We'll be there." The vampire put the phone down and ran his hand through her hair, silently cursing the person who had done this to her.

"Come on, ionúin, we have someone waiting for us." He stood up, drawing her with him. "Let's get you out of this place."

Once on her feet, the hacker drew the jacket around herself, almost as if she was seeking comfort in it. "Angel…" Her low voice trembled as she looked up at him. "Why… why… me? Who… would do this to me?"

"That's what I'm going to find out." Angel promised her as he placed his hand under her chin, drawing her troubled gaze to his own. As he moved his hand to cup her cheek, she couldn't help but notice, even in her shock that his face was at half-grr as she herself called it in the early years. "Believe me Willow I will find out."

She raised her trembling hand to cover his. "I know you will, Angel." She murmured in reply. "I trust you."

With that he drew her close to his side and gently led her out of her home, picking her backpack on the way pass. He slammed the front door shut in silent disgust, and then led the redhead away with out even a backward glance.

As they moved away, neither of them noticed the tall figure in the long duster watching them from the shadows of the trees, a cigarette in his fingers, "Well, well, well, so Peaches is back and glued to Red's side."

He frowned. "Now do I tell them or not…"

He leant back against a tree in silent contemplation, smoke wafting into the air.

*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*

They walked slowly to Giles' home, the petite redhead tucked close against the handsome vampire's side. Her head rested against him as his hand moved constantly over her shoulder in silent reassurance while he kept glancing down at her worried by her continued silence.

Arriving at his house, they found the anxious Watcher pacing up and down his veranda waiting for them. Willow took one look at the man who had been more of a father to her in the past two and a half years than her own in the last seventeen and a sob escaped her lips.

Swallowing, she freed herself from the vampire's protective hold and ran to him. He immediately wrapped the girl he thought of as a daughter in his arms, holding her close as she finally began to cry. Her shoulders shook violently with the force of her sobs and she clutched his jumper with almost a desperate manner.

"You're safe now, Willow. We won't let anyone hurt you." He murmured in her hair as he ran his hand over her back. "Angel and I will look after you, you know that."

Angel swallowed her slowly up the path, his eyes even more concerned. Giles looked over the petite hacker's head at him. "Come in, Angel."

For the first time since his return from Hell, the ensouled vampire really felt as if the Watcher had completely accepted him back. 'Something else I can thank Willow for.' He thought to himself, 'Even under these circumstances.'

He followed as the Watcher led the sobbing girl into his house, murmuring soft nonsensical phrases to her. Once inside the vampire dropped her backpack on the ground and closed the door behind him, locking it firmly.

Hearing the door shut behind her, Willow immediately turned, looking for him, her eyes frantic. Seconds later, she was back in his strong arms again, clinging to him. Rubbing a hand up and down her back, Angel and Giles shared a concerned look over her head.

"Bring her this way, Angel." Giles said quietly as he led his way to his guestroom. "The best thing for her now is sleep."

Murmuring in a low voice, Angel gently guided her after him down the corridor, following him into the bedroom. He couldn't help but notice that the Watcher had made the room safe for him as well. He gently freed himself from the shaking girl's hold, caressing her cheek. "Try and get some sleep, ionúin. I have to go back to my apartment and get some things."

Visibly pulling herself together, the little redhead drew upon the inner strength they were only just discovering she had. She turned her green eyes to the vampire's chocolate brown eyes, resting her small hand on his chest for a moment and pushing him slightly. "Go Angel. I'll be all right. I know Giles is here. I'll be fine."

"I know you will ionúin." He ran gentle fingers down the side of her face, tucking a lock of red hair behind her ear. He raised her small hand to his lips and kissed it, then withdrew to the door. "But I want you to know that we're here for you, none the less. Now go, sleep."

He drew the door shut behind him and turned to face the waiting Watcher. "I don't like this, Giles. I really don't like this at all. To quote your charges, it's fairly wiggin' me out. First this email, then her room. It's just too much to be a coincidence. Someone has targeted Willow."

"Yes, I must admit I was beginning to think along the same lines." Giles folded his arms and sighed deeply. "If it wasn't for the fact that I'm of the opinion Willow needs to sleep more than anything else, I'd be calling the others."

Angel found him self frowning at the mention of the other Slayerettes. "I think you're right, Giles. After his reaction at just the possible threat, we can definitely do without Xander. I know he…" cough "Means well but he'd drive her mad."

"Your dislike's showing, Angel," Willow's voice came unexpectedly from behind them. They turned to find her standing in the doorway, arms folded. "Weren't you going somewhere?" She continued, looking from him to Giles, a touch of dark amusement barely lightening her troubled gaze. "Like your apartment."

"I'm leaving, I'm leaving." He held up his hands as he backed away from her in mock fear, making her smile. A small smile but a smile none the less. "And I won't be gone too long either."

"I know you won't." The moment he was gone, she started to close the door leaving Giles alone in the quiet corridor, shaking his head.

He looked up at the ceiling. "Tell me please what I did to deserve this particular group of people."

Having heard him, the door opened again and the redhead emerged once more to look at him. "Just like us, you got lucky, Giles, extremely lucky."

"Yes, Willow." He murmured as the door closed more firmly behind her. "I really think I must have done." He turned and walked away.

Giles was in his kitchen when the vampire returned, carrying a bag and frowning. He looked up as Angel looked back the way he had come. "Ah Angel, can I get… is there something wrong?"

"I'm not sure." The vampire replied as he put his bag on the counter. "I had the strangest feeling I was being watched on my way back here."

"Perhaps this situation with Willow has just made you extra sensitive." Giles suggested practically.

"Maybe you're right. I just have this..." He shook his head. "It felt familiar somehow; maybe it will come to me later." Forcing an unneeded sigh from his lungs, he turned to his bags. "Has Willow fallen asleep?"

"Her eyes were closed that's about all I can say." Giles replied picking up the cup he had just made. "There's room in the fridge for your things."

"Thank you." Angel said simply, too stunned to say anything else. He just took out his blood supply and put them in the space the Englishman had prepared. He turned to speak to the Watcher but a sudden terrified scream stopped him and made Giles drop his cup, smashing it.

Moments later, both of them were in the bedroom, Angel sitting on the side of the bed holding Willow in his arms, rocking her, "It's okay ionúin, I'm here now, we're both here. You're safe Willow."

Willow buried her head against his chest, arms tight around his waist as she sought protection from her nightmare in his embrace. For a moment, Giles was visibly reminded of the way that the slender redhead had held the vampire on the night he had returned to them. There was an air around them that spoke of emotions neither was yet ready to recognise, although they were close.

Making up his mind, he drew away knowing with absolute surety the redhead was in the right place. "Angel, I'll leave Willow with you."

Nodding his head in reply, the vampire concentrated his full attention on the petite girl in his arms. When he heard the door shut behind him, he spoke. "Tell me what happened, álainn."

Voice trembling, she spoke so low even his vampire hearing had difficulty in picking it up.

"I, I was in my room, when… when they broke in and started to tear it apart. I was… I was in the corner watching them, too… too frozen to do any thing to stop them. Too... Scared."

"Willow baby, you weren't even there when it happened. There was nothing you could have done to stop it." He said simply, brushing his fingers through her hair. "You might have been hurt if you'd been there."

She leant back in his arms and looked up at him, her eyes full of tears. A single one fell down her cheek and he wiped it away. "Angel, it was my room. The one place in the world that was really mine and they've desecrated it. They've violated me."

He immediately drew her back against him, suddenly realising what she meant. Placing a gentle kiss on the top of her head, he gently laid her back against the pillows and ran a cool hand over her eyes, closing them. "Try to sleep, álainn. I'll be here."

She obeyed him immediately. Turning on her side, she snuggled down into the pillows then reached out for his hand, holding it to her. "Stay with me… please."

"Always," As she finally fell into sleep, he moved so that he was lying beside her, pulling the blanket over her as she shivered.

Drawing her into his arms, he gently soothed away her nightmares before they could take hold of her dreams - Holding her close to his unbeating heart all night, surrounding her with his protective thoughts and hold.

It was during that long night that the vampire made her a further promise. "I'll be here for you always, my Willow, just like you are for me."

*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*

_Well, here's the next part and the story is beginning to really develop._

_Will love to hear what you think and as always looking forward to seeing what you have to say ;op_


	5. Chapter 5

For disclaimer see part 1

*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*

Part Five

Following early morning phone calls from the Watcher, the Slayerettes converged on his home. Each of the three had been literally stunned. Xander had reacted with vocal violence, causing Willow to murmur something about: "Always one extreme to another with him."

As she just happened to be sitting on the arm of Angel's chair during that particular stunt, he heard every word the redhead said. Grinning he looked up at her. "I really hate to be the one to say it again but that best friend of yours means well."

Willow responded by pulling a face at him. Ruffling his hair, she got up and headed for the kitchen. "And how that must hurt you to do so," She then sighed before continuing, "Maybe he does, Angel but even I have to admit he has a tendency to go overboard… way overboard."

Giles had merely laughed.

Much to the combined shock of all three of them, Cordelia arrived first, screeching to a halt in her usual fashion outside. Slamming her car door shut, she continued to shock them by rushing up the path carrying a bag. A bag she threw to the ground the moment she saw Willow.

Throwing her arms about her friend, Cordelia hugged the smaller girl hard. "God, Willow are you alright? I couldn't believe it when Giles rang. You must be devastated."

"Cordy… too tight… can't breathe." Willow choked, freeing herself from the brunette's enthusiastic embrace. "But thank you and I'll be fine." She looked across at the bag, a puzzled expression in her eyes. "What on earth have you got there? It made the most peculiar noise when you dropped it."

"Just some clothes, shoes and make-up." Cordelia catalogued much to the chagrin of the redhead but to the intense amusement of Giles and Angel. It was so typically her.

She glared at the two of them before continuing. "Giles did say that everything had been ruined. This is the prefect chance for a makeover, so who says something good can't come out of this mess."

"Cordelia!"

The vampire actually moved away into the shadows to hide his grin from the two girls, especially Willow.

"That's what I thought too, Cordy!" Behind the cheerleader, the blonde witch's voice startled them as she arrived on the doorstep unnoticed, also holding a bag, "I can't believe we've agreed on something again."

"I may never recover from the shock either." Willow murmured quietly in Angel's direction making his grin even broader.

"All we need is Xander to arrive with a bag and we'll have a full set." Angel quipped, much to Giles' amusement and the combined disgust of the three girls who immediately put forward their own opinions.

"I'd go for soda myself." Amy said as she dropped her bag beside Cordelia's, closing the door behind her. "He always does."

"My votes for chocolate and buns at that if I know my boyfriend." Cordelia wrinkled her nose delicately at the thought. She sat down drawing Willow with her.

"Evens on both," Willow held firmly, drawing on vast years of experience to back up her opinion. "It's the only thing he knows." She caught a severely choked laugh from the vampire's direction. "Angel, go away and sleep."

"And I was having such fun." The vampire murmured as he moved backwards and away to the safety of the shaded bedroom.

"That's the problem." She shot back. "You were having too much at Xander's expense."

"Spoilsport, álainn, just be sure to tell me what happened when I wake."

"Promise, cross my heart," Willow replied directing a half-smile over the back of the sofa at the vampire. A smile however that did not even make an attempt to reach her emerald green eyes. "And I won't spend too much either or at least try. So I promise not to let Cordelia any where near your credit card."

"That's not what I'm worried about, Willow and you know it." He growled slightly, shooting a concerned look at her. Both ignored the insulted sound that came from the brunette at her side.

The small redhead frowned and turned away, leaving Angel to share an extremely worried look at the Watcher. He also caught the scared looks the other two girls had shared, as the only sure thing in their lives seemed to be falling apart right in front of their eyes.

"Then I'll see you all this evening." The vampire tore his gaze away from Willow's redhead. "Giles, are we meeting here or back at the library as usual?"

"Under the present circumstances, Angel, I think here would be best." Giles replied an almost identical look of concern in his eyes as he also regarded his young protégé. "And I'll try to make sure that they keep the noise down while you are sleeping."

"I'd appreciate that, Giles, but I won't hold my breath." He responded deliberately tongue in cheek, hoping to provoke a more normal reaction from the redhead.

He got exactly the reaction he had been hoping and expecting as all three girls turned to look at him, Willow and Cordelia leaning on the back of the sofa. Those two in particular shared a speaking look at each other, then at him.

"Angel, you're a vampire. You don't breathe." Cordelia finally said in a confused tone.

"That's exactly why he said it, Cordy." Willow picked up a cushion off the sofa and threw it at him. "Go away, you terribly teasing vampire."

She was however smiling more naturally.

A silent sigh of relief seemed to go around the living room at the sight of it.

"Could you lot be more obvious." Willow actually rolled her eyes. "I'm going to be alright, so stop worrying. I just need a little more time to get over the shock, that's all. Just like any of you if it had been you."

"But it wasn't us, it was you. I thought there was an unspoken rule that major bad things were supposed to leave you alone." Cordelia shot back.

"What rule book have you been looking through the last couple of years, Cordelia Chase?" Willow asked with a half laugh. "I seem to remember my own fair share of badness."

Grinning, Angel fielded the cushion neatly back to the redhead as the two friends continued to debate the illogic of the brunette's statement and disappeared towards the bedroom Willow had used that night. He had just started to shut the door when Xander announced his arrival with a quick and loud succession of knocks on the front door.

As he heard the redhead exclaim with the clearest of utmost glee, "Hah! I told you so." He shut it completely, a smile in his handsome chocolate brown eyes. In his mind's eyes, he could see the exultant look in a pair of hauntingly lovely emerald green eyes.

Eyes he found himself willingly haunted by more and more.

*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*

Changing into a pair of black silk pyjama trousers, Angel drifted across to the bed. In his dark eyes, there was an extremely thoughtful look as he unconsciously rested his hand in the space where the redhead had eventually fallen asleep at his side. Remembering where he had spent the night, holding her; watching over her; where he had listened to her heartbeat and breathing. Anticipating then soothing her with a gentle touch before any nightmare could take real hold of her.

Once again he found his thoughts drifting to a subject that was becoming more and more familiar to him - Thoughts that he had been having ever since she had rescued him from Hell. Thoughts he no longer wanted to deny himself concerning the petite fragile-appearing beautiful redhead with the strength of will and a pureness of heart unlike any he had ever seen before.

The seventeen-year-old young woman who had willingly risked her precious life and soul to enter one of the most dangerous planes of Hell to bring an ensouled vampire home - only to go on and anchor that very same vampire's soul permanently and forever because he was her friend. A friend she missed and needed.

With that realisation he also acknowledged that the petite redhead had taken the place the Slayer had once held in his unlife completely. So much so, he hadn't even thought of the missing girl in weeks.

Now he accepted with ease that what he and Buffy had once shared had completely burned it's self out. Not only that, they had been completely and utterly eclipsed by the feelings he could feel growing deep within himself for the redhead.

'Well, what else did you expect, Angel.' He thought mockingly to himself. 'First there was Angelus, and then she did send you to Hell immediately after your soul returned. Add to that the century you spent in Hell and what else could it be. I just wish we knew where she was and if she was all right, if only for them… No, Angel, let's be honest for Willow.'

Lying down, he threw a sheet over himself, before covering his eyes with his arm as he turned his thoughts to the Slayerettes. This particular and most definitely unique group of young people had more inner strength and determination than the majority of their peer group. The fact they had voluntarily chosen to fight against the evil of the Hellmouth with the Slayer in the first place was remarkable in it's self.

What made them even more remarkable was the fact that they willingly continued the fight in her lengthening absence and showed no signs of doing anything else.

Yet he knew the whole group except perhaps for Amy, were hurting at their supposed friend's prolonged absence.

Willow especially, he knew had remained deeply affected by it. Buffy had been the first real girlfriend she had ever had, and it had been Willow and Willow alone for a long while that had been keeping the hope alive the Slayer would return to them. Even Giles had lost his belief in Buffy ever returning before Willow had.

"Damn it, Buffy, how could you do this to her, let alone the whole group after what you've been through together." He growled aloud, his game face actually falling into place. "How can you be so selfish?"

Just then the door opened and the main object of his thoughts slipped in. "Angel."

"Willow!" he sat up, his demon face melting immediately away as his handsome human face reappeared. "What are…? Oh!"

"Yes Angel, oh!" She replied walking across to the bed and sitting down on the side. Only the dark blush on her high cheekbones and the obvious way she avoided his eyes revealed her innocent reaction at the state of his undress. "You actually forgot the link for a moment, didn't you?"

He cupped her cheek and drew her gaze to his, "Only for a moment, álainn and unconsciously."

"Your thoughts really must have been dark." Willow took his hand in hers. "You haven't done that for a while, Angel. So why aren't you asleep like you're supposed to be?"

"I've been thinking, Willow. It happens sometimes." He lay back down still holding her hand in his. He looked up at her plaintively, using what she called his puppy brown soul eyes. "Forgive me for falling back into old habits."

"Oh Angel!" She sighed. "Sometimes, just sometimes… Of course I do."

He tapped her nose, grinning. "Thank you."

Standing up, she wrinkled her nose and returned to the door. "Now, remember, no more dark thoughts. I was beginning to get a headache. You know I think I will get that laptop on your card after all."

At the stunned look on his handsome face, she literally giggled and slipped out, closing the door quietly behind her. As it clicked, the vampire turned on his side and smiled to himself, a feeling of intense relief sweeping through him. The most precious person in his unlife was beginning to recover. Slowly but she was beginning to recover.

Thumping the pillow, he closed his eyes and fell into a deep sleep where he dreamed if he knew it of silver moonlight on dark red hair.

*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*

"Cordy…" There was a note of deep weariness in Willow's voice when she spoke, "Cordelia, not another shop please? For one thing I don't have anywhere to put them remember."

"Willow, would you stop being a square just this once. I promise you that after this particular shop that will be it. Besides, I saw something in the window that would be just perfect for you." The brunette grabbed Willow's arm and pulled her down the mall towards the shop. "Promise me you'll wait until you see it before you make your final decision, Will."

The look she threw back her friend was as determined as was the silent thought, 'Because you are getting this dress no matter what!'

Willow adjusted the strap of her new lap top carry case then threw a desperate look over her shoulder at the blonde young woman following them, grinning.

"Amy, don't just follow us." She pleaded. "Do something to help me. Stop her."

The other witch laughed out loud. "I'd give in gracefully, Will and just let her show you this dress shop. She'll never shut up about it for the rest of the day otherwise and the guys will never know what they missed."

"Amy, I may just never forgive you." Willow shot back as she raised her eyes to the sky in a 'Goddess, why me!' look. "Alright, Cordy, where's this shop of yours?"

"Yes!" She actually punched the air.

They followed her down the mall till the brunette stopped outside a shop with decidedly old-fashioned windows and a shop which until that precise moment in time the other two would never have connected with the decidedly ultra modern cheerleader.

"There, what did I tell you, Willow, sheer perfection." Cordelia literally squealed almost jumping up and down on her toes in glee. "It's almost as if it was made with you in mind."

On display in the main window was a slender full length dress with a sweetheart neckline and slim sleeves in a beautiful dark red brush velvet and Willow was looking at it, completely stunned.

She dropped the bags she was carrying and stepped forward, almost touching the window. "Dear Goddess." The words were barely audible. "I've dreamed this dress so many times, so many, many times…"

Cordelia and Amy drew back behind her, a little stunned if they were honest by the redhead's reaction to the dress.

"See, I told you she would love it, Amy." The brunette murmured in a low voice.

"Cordy, Willow's completely stunned. Look at her; she literally can't believe what she is looking at." Amy replied a strange look in her blue eyes. "It's as if one of her oldest dreams is coming true right in front of her."

"Then let's literally make it come true and go buy the dress." Cordelia stepped forward, took the stunned redhead's arm and drew her into the shop's interior, leaving Amy to pick up the bags Willow had dropped before following them inside, shaking her head in amusement.

Inside the brunette not only managed to persuade her bemused friend to buy the red dress but also a green spaghetti strapped short dress in the same material. Then following what could only be called bullying, Cordelia also persuaded Willow to buy a top and bolero jacket in a beautiful rich peacock blue silk.

It was only as they left the dress shop that Willow started to come out of the state of shock she had been in. Shaking the final visages away, she looked across at the brunette. "All right, Cordy you can say I told you so. You were right and I'm sorry I doubted you."

Cordelia grinned. "That's fine with me, Wills. Let's get going."

As they started to walk away, Willow's gaze suddenly caught a display in a nearby bookshop window. Coming to a full stop, her two companions moved on ahead of her not even noticing they had left her behind so caught up were they in their quiet conversation.

Willow stared at the book display in sheer disbelief. "Goddess, could it really be that simple." She murmured to herself. "I'm going to kick myself because I really think it could be."

Turning, she swiftly tracked down Cordelia and Amy, finding them waiting for her by the mall's fountain.

"We have to get to Giles." She said immediately on reaching them, forestalling the comments they were about to make. "I think I've found a way to defeat this warlock and we need to check it out."

"Knew one of us would, Might have known it would be you." Amy grinned as she glanced at her watch and gasped. "Oh Goddess, its three o'clock and we said we'd be back two hours ago."

"We also said we'd bring back pizza." Cordelia exclaimed, an elegant hand flying to her mouth. "Xander will moan all night if we don't."

"That means he'll go out of his way to try and wind Angel up." Willow growled in a credible imitation of the vampire. "He did last time. All right, here's the plan. Cordy, you take the rest of the bags to your car and off load them. Amy, you go and get the pizzas but double the order. I'll get the soda and secret weapon."

"Willow, what secret weapon?" Cordelia called after the redhead as she sped off.

"The ultimate of course," Came back the giggled reply, "Chocolate!"

*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*

_And the story is moving forward._

_Thanks for all the nice comments, appreciate them._

_As always looking forward to seeing more of them ;op_


	6. Chapter 6

See disclaimer in Part 1

*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*

Part Six

Xander stood on Giles' veranda, arms folded, looking up and down the street. "Just where the Hell are they? They should have been back by now."

"Xander, you should know your own girlfriend by now when she's on a shopping trip." Giles looked up from the book he was reading. "After all, we have had to listen to your complaints often enough and I am well aware that you actually are more concerned by the absence of your lunch than anything else."

"Very funny, Giles," The younger man shot back at him, as he started to pace up and down, "Even if you are wrong… well slightly." He finished honestly.

Giles rolled his eyes, looking down the road just as Cordelia's car turned in. "In that case, isn't that her car."

"About damn time!" Xander exploded.

Giles shook his head in exasperation. "Xander, how many more times must I remind you to keep your voice down?"

"As if I care if Deadboy wakes up."

"You may not, and you're a fool not to, Xander but he would." The Watcher put his book down and joined the young man just as the car drew to a screeching halt in the driveway.

The three girls emerged and he started towards the car. "And more importantly, especially where you're concerned, Xander, Willow would. Don't you think you've upset her enough recently?"

Xander winced at the timely reminder. He knew better than most what Willow's temper was like, having spent most of his life trying to avoid it and being the brunt of it in recent weeks. It also helped when he caught sight of the various food boxes the girls were carrying and he jumped down the steps. "I'll take them for you."

"Yes, we were kind of hoping you would." Willow murmured sharing a knowing look with Amy and Cordelia before turning to the Watcher. "Sorry we're late, Giles, we kind of got lost track of time."

"Somehow I'm not at all surprised."

"However I may have picked up a lead to fighting this warlock though. I'll tell you about it when Angel wakes up."

"Your trip has been most definitely been productive then." He commented dryly, motioning to the mountain of bags in the car, "In more ways than one, I can see."

"You could say that." Willow grimaced as she kicked off her shoes and picked them up. "My feet are killing me. I think we went into every clothes shop in the mall today and a few I didn't even know existed."

"You could say that again." Amy added as she joined them, "Goddess, when that girl shops, she really shops, it's almost as if she declares war."

Willow looked at the brunette impishly. "I swear most of the assistants either groaned or went into hiding."

"Look who's talking." Cordelia had now joined them. "You should have seen the faces of the ones in the computer shop when they saw you, Willow."

Giles nodded to the bag on her shoulder, grinning. "I would gather you took a little revenge from the bag you're carrying."

"You could say that." Willow laughed. "I hate to think what Angel's going to say when he gets his credit card bill. I think we almost maxed it and I didn't think that was possible with a gold card."

She turned her head to the side slightly as she caught the sound of a phone ringing. "Giles, isn't that your phone I can hear ringing."

Giles turned to face his home, tuning into the sound. "Good lord, so it is. Willow, would you mind getting that for me?"

"Of course I don't mind." She ran into the house, calling over her shoulder. "Just make sure Xander doesn't eat all the pizzas will you."

"Hey I resent that." Xander exclaimed catching her last remark.

Laughing the redhead disappeared as the others told him he was an idiot.

*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*

Snatching up the phone in mid ring, Willow dropped her shoes to the ground and skipped her bag off her shoulder on to the coffee table.

"Yo! Rupert Giles' phone, he's not here at the moment. Can I take a message?"

"Willow is that you?" Hearing the startled but sombre voice on the other end of the phone, Willow sat down in the nearest chair rather abruptly. "I was hoping to get Rupert."

"We're all here today, Mrs Summers. Giles is just outside. I can get him for you if it's urgent."

"No Willow, don't do that." The older woman's voice broke for a moment. "I just need to... Have you… have you heard anything from her, anything at all?"

The hacker sighed deeply, curling her legs under her. "I was beginning to hope that was why you had called."

There was a slight note of sheer despair in her voice as she continued. "I'm so sorry Mrs Summers, we... We haven't heard anything from her at all."

The older woman sighed herself. "I'm sorry Willow, especially if I raised your hopes. Can you let Rupert know I rang and that I've returned home from L.A, I'm afraid that last lead was no good, her father and I were unable to find a single trace of her, and if she was there, she's most definitely not there now."

"Thanks for letting us know, Mrs Summers. I'll let Giles know immediately. I'm sure he'll call you back as soon as he can. Bye." Willow put her down the phone, only just holding back the tears as she slumped back in her chair and closed her eyes.

A tear eventually slipped slowly down her cheek as a sob escaped her tightly shut lips, swiftly but surely swallowed. Moments later, a cool hand came from out of nowhere and gently touched her cheek, wiping a second tear away and alerting her to the vampire's arrival.

"Willow." His low velvet voice swept over her, soothing her slightly. Opening now tear filled eyes, she found Angel kneeling in the shadows beside her. His own gaze was even darker than normal with concern as he ran the back of his hand gently down the side of her face. "Tell me who was on the phone, álainn."

"Mrs Summers." A second sob escaped her lips as her self-control began to slip. "They couldn't find her, Angel. It was another dead end."

With that statement, she tumbled out of the chair into his willing embrace. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she buried her head against his bare chest, crying as if her heart was breaking. "They… they… couldn't… f… find… Buffy."

The vampire adjusted his position, leaning against the back of the chair in the deep shadows as he started to rock her back and forth. Her heartbroken cries tore at his very soul and he found himself silently cursing the absent Slayer again as he ran his hand up and down her back, "Damn you, Buffy, for doing this to her."

Raising his voice, Angel called for the Watcher. "Giles, Willow needs you. Giles!"

The Watcher appeared in the doorway almost immediately at the urgent call, followed closely by the rest of the Scooby Gang. "Angel, what… Willow!"

"Willow!"

The moment they saw the sobbing redhead, they rushed to the couple's side almost immediately, crouching around them in their concern. Amy however had the presence of mind to slam the door behind her before joining them, sufficiently composed to think of the vampire as well as her crying friend.

"What the hell have you done to her, Deadboy?" Xander reacted negatively immediately.

"Goddess, please stop her." Amy uttered in heart felt tones, clenching her hands together. "Please, she's breaking my heart."

At the same time, Xander started to try and release his best friend from Angel's hold but both vampire and hacker resisted with great ferocity. When the redhead actually whimpered, burying herself even closer to him, Angel growled deeply in his throat at the young man, game face emerging slightly. "Harris, leave her alone."

"Damn it, Xander, don't be an idiot all your life. Can't you see he's comforting her?" Giles commanded using his Ripper voice to try and draw the teen away. He actually had to resort to physically pulling the young man away. "I mean it, Alexander, leave them alone."

Handing him to the other two girls, he waited until he was sure Xander would behave himself then returned his anxious gaze to the vampire. "It's the only thing I can think of, Angel so I take the call was behind this."

"You'd be right on the ball with that assumption. Joyce Summers called. They had no luck again." Angel replied succinctly as he ran his hand comfortingly down Willow's back following a particularly violent shudder. "On top of everything else, I think it was the final straw."

"Ah, of course," Giles nodded as a look of understand crossed his eyes and then moved aside. "Why don't you take Willow through to the guest room and watch over her until she feels ready to rejoin us. I think you may be the only one who can reach her at the moment anyway."

Angel rose, cradling his precious burden to his chest, his expression grim even as he nodded in agreement to him.

"Just keep Xander away from her, Giles." He growled as he turned and left.

"What… exactly did he mean by that remark?" The young man stormed as he stared after them, looking for a moment as if he would follow.

"Can it, Xander, please?" This time the snapped command came from his slightly irate girlfriend as she grabbed his arm and literally yanked him to a sofa. She then san down with a thump in his lap to make sure he couldn't move. "You're over reacting as usual and Wills' upset enough as it is. She doesn't need you going all over protective over her."

"No." Amy murmured loud enough for only the Watcher who happened to be standing next to her to hear, "Angel's doing a good enough job all by himself and really doesn't need any help from you of all people."

*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*

"All right, young lady, what exactly did you mean by that remark earlier?" Giles as he cornered the blonde witch later that evening while she was studying her spell books with intense concentration. "And don't even pretend to not know what I mean. You know I heard your statement concerning Angel and Willow earlier this evening."

Amy raised her blue eyes from the spell she had been memorising to look up at him with a touch of mild astonishment. "Correct me if I'm wrong, Giles but you were there when Angel came round, weren't you, so please don't tell me you haven't noticed the chemistry between them. Now Xander, I can believe, and I know what Cordelia thinks but I thought you at least… oh well…"

"Amy, please stop rambling." He said quietly as he turned to the quiet redhead. "With Willow, I'm used to it but from you, it's completely unnecessary. Of course I've notice it."

He turned back to the blonde witch. "You must realise that it could just be part of the bond they now share, thanks to the spell."

"Giles, that was really beneath you." Amy said reproachfully, as her own gaze crossed the room to the vampire.

He was watching Willow work at her new laptop, a book lying unnoticed on his lap. There was a look in his dark gaze that made the teenager turn surprisingly thoughtful. "You know as well as I do that the bond has nothing to do with it. To be truthful, I doubt that bond would be as strong as it is if it wasn't for this… other bond."

She turned to the Watcher. "It's always been there, Giles, it's just that now…"

"There's no-one in the way anymore." Giles finished for her in an equally thoughtful manner. His own personal thoughts came to the fore with a sudden rush before he recalled something else the witch had let slip. "Amy, did you say that Cordelia suspects something, didn't you."

"Yes, I did." The young woman replied smiling suddenly. "Cordy sees a lot more than she lets on."

Just at the moment Willow gave an excited yelp, starting the printer by her laptop humming. The Watcher moved to her side immediately. "Willow, were you able to find it."

"You could say that!" She looked up at him, her green eyes sparkling for the first time that evening. "Right out in the open just like I thought. Rules of engagement for magical duels as set by the most famous wizard of them all, Merlin of Camelot. I'm printing them off for you."

"Excellent work as always, Willow," He smiled down at the petite redhead, laying a hand on her shoulder. He then picked up the papers she had begun printing off and started to read them.

Willow took the opportunity to stand up and stretch the kinks out of her back. Realising that the librarian was intending to stand and read the papers, she put a small hand on his arm and pushed him into the seat she had just vacated. "For goodness sake, Giles, sit down. There must be thirty pages at least."

"Of course, of course," He replied absently, turning a page over as he did so, "Interesting, extremely interesting."

Willow shared a grin with Xander who looked up at that moment, "Something's will never change, Will." He murmured with a grin before returning to the book he was voluntarily reading.

Looking round, her gaze caught Angel's and she moved across to his chair. Taking the cushions he gave her, she sat down on the floor and leant back against his legs, her own curled underneath her. He briefly massaged her tense shoulders and she looked up at him, smiling softly.

Moving slightly, she rested her arm on his knee and turned her green gaze to the other witch. "Amy, just what are have you been reading for the past hour?" She asked in a puzzled tone. "Every time I looked up, you've had an extremely peculiar expression on your face."

"I've found something too." Amy picked up the book she had been studying and brought it across to the redhead. "I think we can use this to give your room a quick fix, Willow. We may need to get a few extra ingredients but it should work."

"Amy, you're a pal. Let's have a look." Willow drew the blonde down to the floor and the pair of witches began to look over the spell, murmuring in low voices to each other. A one point, Angel leant forward, resting his hand on Willow's shoulder as he put in a word of advice. Immediately, they turned to him and brought him in on their plan.

*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*

_So that one problem solved, now to move on to the next._

_As always looking forward to seeing what you have to say ;op_


	7. Chapter 7

See part 1 for disclaimer

*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*

Part Seven

Half an hour later, the peace and quiet which until then had only been broken by the low murmuring of the two witches and the vampire was completely shattered by an exaggerated yawn from Cordelia. Barring Giles, they all turned to look at her.

"All right, Cordy, spill it." Her boyfriend commented in amusement as he rested his arm around her shoulders. "You have to enlighten us now, especially after that Oscar winning performance."

"I suppose everyone here does realise that it is Friday." The brunette replied swinging her legs to the ground, "All those that have a life, that is."

"Your point being, Cordy… that's if you have one." Willow asked as she leant back against the vampire. Turning slightly she threw him a mischievous look and he ruffled her hair in response before gently tugging a lock.

"Can we please go to the Bronze… just for a change?"

"Sure why not." Looking at the stunned faces of her friends around her, and sensing the silent amusement of the vampire, Willow burst into a fit of sparkling laughter. "I wish I had a camera, you should see your faces. It's absolutely priceless."

"Cordelia's right though, Willow. You all deserve a night off." Angel stood up, pulling the two witches with him. "And the Bronze is a good idea. Giles, Giles!"

"Yes?" The Watcher replied, not looking up from the papers he was reading, instead merely turning one over.

"Xander, if you would." Angel sighed as Willow, Amy and Cordelia giggled.

Xander grinning broadly reached over to wave his hand between the papers and the glasses of the Watcher. "Yo! Bookman, we're bailing."

"Xander please, don't do that." Giles looked up to find the four teenagers and the vampire grinning at him in fond amusement. "Did I miss something?"

"No more than usual, Giles," Willow replied with a soft smile as she moved to his side and rested her hand on his shoulder. "We're off to the Bronze to relax, so we'll see you tomorrow."

"Good idea, you all deserve a night off." He surprised them all by nodding in approval. "Willow, you're welcome to return here for a second night."

A fond smile crossed her face and she kissed his cheek, making him stutter in embarrassment. "You're a complete dear Giles but I'm going back to Amy's tonight."

"Yes, we need to brush up on the spell for her room." Amy put in as she grabbed her backpack. "I seem to remember someone once saying that preparations were extremely important."

"Excellent, then I will see you all in the library at 10.30 tomorrow… prompt." At the joint groan from all four teenagers, Giles merely smiled. He was too used to hearing it to be bothered by it in any way. "Now go, have fun. Forget about everything for a night."

*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*

An hour later, the three girls joined the vampire and the young man at the Bronze at their usual corner table. On leaving Giles' home, Cordelia had decided that they were going to change into an outfit more suitable for a Friday night at the Bronze or be forever shamed. She had been greeted with deep groans from Amy and Willow.

She had merely raised her hand and said, "I'm so not hearing any objections, you two so live with it."

Angel and Xander had looked at each other then promptly opted to do a sweep of the park and the cemeteries closest to the club.

Sitting at their table, the vampire and youth turned to watch their favourite girls walk across the Bronze's dance floor to join them. The brunette was now dressed in a crop top and Capri pants in her favourite maroon, hair pulled back in a ponytail. Amy had opted for a mid-thigh sky-blue skirt with a spaghetti strap shoulder top and a matching silver blue cardigan. Her hair was fastened back with a blue ribbon.

Both vampire and young man suddenly found their jaws dropping open as Willow emerged from the shadows into the club's low lights. A little self-conscious, she was walking behind her two more confident friends, trying her best to ignore the low wolf whistles and open stares she was receiving as she walked by.

Cordelia and Amy had managed to persuade the shy redhead to wear her new peacock blue set with black pedal pushers. They had then pulled her hair back in to a ponytail of loose curls and literally bullied her into wearing a pair of low-heeled blue sandals.

"Oh! My! God!" The words left his lips in stuttered astonishment as Xander watched his newly revealed beautiful best friend move towards them. "W… Will… Willow!"

Angel, on the other hand, quietly rose to his feet, a strange light in his dark eyes as he watched the girl he had always known was beautiful come publicly out of her shell. His gaze never left the redhead as all three finally joined them at their table. Sensing the waves of embarrassment coming from her, he took her hand and drew her to a stool in the shadows, "Álainna."

Willow looked up at him, clutching his hand with both of hers, her green eyes darker than normal. "Please Angel; this is so… so not me." She said so plaintively he tightened his hold on her hand. "I feel so… so stupid."

"Willow, you look beautiful and you couldn't be stupid if you tried for a century." He told her assertively, sitting down beside her. At her disbelieving look, the vampire cupped her cheek, running his thumb across her cheek. "I mean it Willow, you could never be stupid." He lowered his hand, taking hers back. "And you are beautiful, you always have been."

At this point fed up with the stupefied look on his face, Amy poked Xander in the ribs. "Don't just stare at her, Xander. Say something for goodness sake."

"You're… you're beautiful, Willow." Xander eventually stuttered, much to both Amy and Cordelia's intense amusement. "What did you do with my Willow?"

Willow blushed even deeper, making her friends laugh delightedly, even Xander eventually. They laughed even more as she buried her head against the vampire, the blush going down her neck.

"Oh stop it, all of you." She begged in a muffled tone. "It's bad enough as it is."

"Oh she's most definitely still our Willow," Angel murmured, unaware of the note of possessiveness that laced his voice as he raised Willow's head and ran a finger down her nose. "She's just come out of hiding at last."

"You'll just have to get use to it, Xan." Amy added as she recovered from her laughing fit. She smiled at Willow mischievously and the other girl grimaced back. "Especially after the major dent we made in Angel's American Express gold card today."

"Thank you for the warning, Amy." Angel murmured grinning as all three girls blushed. "It won't be that much as a surprise now."

"And Harmony is going to have a major fit." Cordelia put in with a nasty grin on recovering, making the others laugh out loud, the comment was so typical of her. "She is so going to have her nose rubbed in."

"That's our Cordy." Xander had recovered slightly at this point, although he kept shooting looks at the redhead out of the corner of his eye, still genuinely shocked by her transformation, "Must always have her priorities in the right order."

Willow had now also regained her composure, although she was still highly flushed. A glint appeared in her green eyes and she turned to Xander, smiling nastily as she thought of the perfect revenge. "You guys realise that we have to go back to school in just over a week. Our wonderful senior year, SAT's and that joy of joys, graduation."

"Oh pu-leese, I thought we were here to escape reality, not be reminded of it." Xander moaned, banging his head in the table, all thoughts of Willow's new image driven out of his mind. "That was so not needed."

"Xander, don't do that." Grinning, Willow hit the back of his head. "You'll dent the table."

"Very funny, Will. See this is me laughing." Xander glared at her, although he was smiling. Amy giggled as Angel turned away, hiding his smile.

"Alright you two, that's enough. Come on Xander; let's go do what you call dancing." Cordelia grabbed her boyfriend and dragged him onto the dance floor.

Amy rose. "I'm thirsty. Will, do you want a soda too."

"I'd love one but you better make it a caffeine free one." Willow replied smiling gratefully. Amy wrinkled her nose in reply knowing only too well her friend's reaction to the addictive substance then moved away.

*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*

The moment the blonde witch was gone, Angel turned to Willow and looked at her inquiringly, "All right, Willow, what's wrong? I can see something going on behind those intelligent green eyes of yours."

Willow drew closer to her friend. "Angel, this is going to sound strange but…" She broke off, frowning. "It's going to sound so selfish."

"Willow, I can't help you if you don't tell me!" He said patiently.

"For a while now, I've had this weird feeling that something strange is going to happen this year. I think what happened with my room is just the beginning and it scares me." She looked down at the floor. "Especially as both Amy and I are sure that we were followed here tonight, and it's not been the first time either."

The vampire responded by drawing the slender redhead off her stool and close to his side. As he slipped his arm around her waist, her left hand seemed to almost naturally find a resting-place on his shoulder as he held her close against him in a hold that was both protective and comforting at the same time.

"Will, look at me." He commanded.

Their gazes caught bright emerald green and dark chocolate brown. Unconsciously, their free hands entwined together, the vampire drawing it to his chest. Willow turned her head on one side a puzzled look in her eyes as a strange shiver ran through her. Unconsciously she drew even closer to him. "Angel?"

"Will, you couldn't be selfish if you tried, ionúin. It's just not a part of your make-up." He raised their joined hands to his lips and kissed the back of her fingers, before holding them against his cheek.

A further shiver ran down her spine as something went through her and she drew even closer if possible. "Angel, what's happening to us?"

"I'm not quite sure but I've got an idea." Still holding her hand, he ran a finger down the side of her soft cheek. "But what ever it is, Willow, I'm more than willing to find out. You have no idea just how much I'm willing to find out."

Their gazes caught once more, Willow's slightly confused and Angel's firm. "And when… if Buffy returns back home, what then, Angel?"

"Willow, listen to me. I promise you no matter what happens, I will always be there for you. I won't allow anyone to get in my way ever and I mean ANYONE." He said firmly, "Especially not her."

Seeing the look of doubt in her eyes, he released her hand and cupped her cheek. "I mean it, little one. You are the most important person in the world to me."

He slid his hand into her hair and drew her down, kissing her gently on the lips, "The most important person." He repeated emphatically. "Will, don't you understand, you are my world now."

Willow raised her hand touching his cheek, before running it through his spiky hair.

"Angel." She said simply in wonderment.

He drew her down into another kiss, deepening it slightly before she drew back.

For a moment, they stared into each other's eyes until a coughing sound announced the return of Amy and they both turned to look at her. "Ah guys, I hate to be the one to ruin things but Xander looks as if he wants to stake you, Angel."

Both Willow and Angel turned to look towards the dance floor. Xander was indeed glaring at them and the redhead found herself laughing, leaning even closer to the vampire - The vampire that still had his arm around her waist.

"He's just going to have to get used to it." Angel murmured in Willow's ear, "Because I plan on repeating the experience frequently." Which he did so, right there and then.

"Angel!" She blushed, hitting him slightly. As she did so, she caught her best friend's angry glare and stuck her tongue out at him.

"Ignore him, Wills." Amy shot back as the two girls sat down, Angel's arm still resting around Willow's waist so she had to draw her stool closer to him. "Xander's just being an idiot."

"Nothing new there then." The vampire murmured making both witches laugh.

"Angel." She said in a mock threatening tone as she hit him again. "You're just as bad as Xander sometimes."

He shuddered. "Ugh! What a terrible thing to say."

Both girls laughed again before the three put their heads together as they started to talk over the finer aspects of the spell. Angel's arm remained around the redhead's waist and she unconsciously leaned against his side, ignoring the disbelieving looks they were receiving from all around them.

They were equally unaware of the pair of ice blue eyes watching them from the second level.

"Now that was most definitely not what I was expecting. At least Peaches has got better taste this time around." He thought to himself. "And I wonder who the blonde girl is. It's not the first time I've seen her hanging around with Red either."

He scowled frightening a girl who was just about to speak to him. "I'm going to have to speak to them. What they did to Red's room just wasn't right. Ack! I'm beginning to sound like that bloody poof of a sire of mine."

Down below, the dark haired vampire suddenly looked up, his senses telling him they were being watched. He scanned the club attracting the two girl's attention.

"Angel?" Willow queried worriedly.

"Nothing," He replied covering her hand as Cordelia and Xander returned to the table, changing the subject.

"At least it better be nothing." He thought to himself, tightening his hold around Willow's waist.

*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*

_Thank you for adding me to your alerts and favourites. It would also be nice to know what you think of each chapter as well._

_You never know, you may give me ideas on what to include in this story._

_So looking forward to seeing what you have to say ;op_


	8. Chapter 8

See part one for disclaimer

*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*

Part Eight

"Giles, Giles, where do you want these books put?"

Willow turned from the crates she had been unpacking, holding a pile of books almost to her chin to look at the librarian. It was the end of school on the first day back and the petite redhead was helping out as usual. If she was honest with herself, she had run for its serene quietness the moment her last class had ended.

The week leading up to their senior year had passed in a complete frenzy of activity for the Slayerettes. Their resident two witches had restored Willow's room to its pristine condition with less energy than they both had expected even though the little redhead was no longer able to feel completely comfortable or safe again in its surroundings, a fact only the vampire was aware of.

The next event to occur had been the arrival of the warlock and in some ways, it had been a situation far too easily dealt with. The two girls had taken down the warlock with remarkable ease once they had bound his powers by the rules that Willow had discovered. Amy had been hurt slightly but Giles and Willow had found a healing spell to help her.

One good thing had come out of it though for both girls had also revealed that they had sensed themselves being watched during the past week, which had led to Angel revealing what he had sensed in the club.

"I have the feeling someone we know is back in town." He had told them. "I'll see what I can find out. Willie might know something. If he doesn't, I'll… persuade him to."

"And if it is him, what in the Hellmouth's name is he doing back in Sunnydale." He thought to himself. "And why is he watching Willow and Amy, protecting them almost."

After another lead in the search for Buffy had also turned out to be a dud, Giles had returned from his trip with news regarding Kendra's replacement, one Faith Richards.

He had called the group into the library the previous Friday and told them what the Council had informed him. "They've decided that she is not to join us until the New Year, so we must continue as we have been."

Xander's wry comment in response had them in hysterics. "Should we write and say thank you for the compliment or be insulted."

Now, Willow was helping the Watcher unpack the latest delivery of books, the others late, as was their usual custom to avoid the work. She raised her voice slightly in a second attempt to get his attention. "Giles, where are these books supposed to go."

Giles looked up from the letter he was reading at the tone in her voice. "Actually, Willow, this particular lot is for the history section."

"Colour me stunned, we're actually talking school history here." Willow said in mock shock, putting the books down on the counter so she could raise her hand to her forehead dramatically. "Giles, I said… oh, never mind."

The Watcher had started to reread his letter again, leading to the hacker's last comment and a wry smile. He only looked up as Xander and Cordelia burst into the library in their usual fashion arguing.

"You tell her, Xander." Cordelia was saying as they came in.

"You're the one who saw him." He retorted before catching sight of Willow and Giles. "Hi guys, the Xan-man is here."

"So we see... and hear as usual." Giles returned as he folded his letter up and placed in his inner pocket. "And who have you seen, Cordelia?"

His answer however came from Willow.

"I think they mean Oz, Giles. He came back yesterday to repeat his Senior Year." She informed him as she jumped up on to the booking counter, took an apple out of her backpack (which happened to be next to her) and bit into it. "Amy, Angel and I bumped into him in the cemetery last night. The Dingoes are back in town for a long stretch."

"You never said." Xander threw himself into a chair, scowling at his friend. "Why didn't you say?"

Before Willow could reply, Oz himself walked into the library. "That's because I asked her not to, Xander. Hello Giles."

"Oz. Welcome back to Sunnydale." The Watcher replied removing the letter unconsciously from his pocket. "Actually, I'm rather glad to see you. We have need of your, how shall I put this, ah, special abilities and Angel's, I should think."

"Yes, talking of our friendly fang, where is Angel?" Xander sat up looking around the library.

"Use your head, dorkbrain." Cordelia hit him on the back of his head then joined Willow on the counter. "Even using the tunnels, it's too bright here in the library for Angel."

"Yes, well thank you Cordelia." Giles hid his smile at the discomforted expression on the younger man's face. "Until he arrives, there is still work that can be done while we wait."

"Tell me something new." Xander responded under his breath. "We're unpaid slave labour, that's what we are."

Glaring at him slightly, Giles returned his letter to his pocket again, still not mentioning it. He turned just in time to see Amy arrive. "Ah, excellent time, Amy, I was just about to suggest training practise to the others."

"In that case, I'll be back in a couple of hours." The blonde witch made as if to leave again although she was grinning as she did so. Jeers and catcalls from the others had her laughing as she joined them round the table.

*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*

Just as darkness fell, Angel arrived through the tunnels to find Willow was the only one actually doing any practising. She was going through a series of moves with a quarterstaff, creating an elegant dance in response to Giles' attack: a dance made up of moves that both the vampire and Watcher had been teaching her.

Finishing with a bow to the Watcher, she turned to find the vampire leaning against one of the stacks, watching them all.

"Angel." She grinned up at him. "What did you think?"

"Willow." He replied smiling back at her as he came down the stairs. "You're improving."

At the sound of his voice, Xander screeched and literally jumped up into the air. The girls and Oz made no attempt to hide their laughter.

"Deadboy!" He whined when he eventually recovered. "Make some noise please."

"Xander, he did." Willow threw at him as he put the staff away in the weapons cage. As she came out, she caught a bottle of water Amy levitated to her. "Thanks Amy."

"Yeah but we don't have your advantage, Will." Xander threw back at his best friend.

Willow stuck her tongue out in reply as she moved towards the vampire. Passing Xander, she hit him on the back of his head.

"I see things really haven't changed." Oz murmured to Amy, "At least between Xander and Will."

"Only on the surface, Xander almost managed to break their friendship not that long ago and things are still mending." Amy replied in the same tone. "Oz, there's something that you need to be made aware of... Important things."

The werewolf fixed his intense gaze on the blonde witch. Deep in his eyes, she could see a profound but resigned understanding. "I think I already know, Amy." He responded almost sadly. "I sensed it between them last night."

His gaze turned to where Willow and Angel were talking with Giles, the redhead unconsciously leaning against the vampire's side. His arm equally unconsciously around her shoulders.

"Willow told me about the bond created by his return from the Hell and the permanent anchoring of his soul herself when I was on tour. It's one of the main reasons why we decided we'd be better off being just friends. Anything else just wasn't possible, not now."

"But that's not what you meant though is it?" Amy queried drawing his attention back to her. "Oz, what have you seen that we haven't. Can you tell me?"

The curious note in her voice caught his attention completely and he physically turned to her. "I'm not quite sure how to put this so you can understand but I'll give it a try." He leant forward. "Last night, when I saw how they were working together, there was a sense of rightness about it. Two rhythms working in perfect harmony."

"I never felt that when Buffy and Angel were together. To be honest, the only time their music was in harmony was when Angel reverted back to Angelus but even then…" He broke off, his introspective gaze going back to the redhead who was behind the computer again. "Then it was Willow who was his discord, the pure note he could not and would not break. He wanted her though."

Amy nodded thoughtfully, resting her hand on his in additional silent thanks. "Thanks Oz. You just confirmed what I've always thought about him then and what I've been thinking lately." She broke off for a moment then continued. "I know it must have hurt, Oz, but thanks for being honest with me."

The werewolf broke into a rare full smile. "That's the Willow effect for you. You just can't help it even when you're only talking about her. The honesty in her seems to touch everything and everyone around her."

"I just wish that Xander saw it that way." Amy murmured, looking across the room to the young man in question and his girlfriend. "It's not Angel he hurts with his digs and comments, it's Willow but he just can't see it."

"Xander's an idiot, plain and simple where Willow's concerned. He's never been able to see her clearly." Oz responded quietly and with surprising insight into that young man's character. "She'll deal with him when the time is right for her… and if Angel doesn't get there first."

Amy giggled at his final dry comment. "We have a lot of confidence in both Willow and Angel, don't we?"

"We both have reasons to I think."

"That's for sure."

Oz smiled again before turning to the Watcher. "Giles you said that you needed my special abilities when I arrived earlier. How can I help you?"

"Yes, Oz, thank you for reminding me," Giles pulled out his letter out again. "A friend of mine has written to say that there is a possible supernatural creature heading our way cross country, attracted by the power of the Hellmouth."

"Tell us something new." Xander rolled his eyes then frowned, recalling something. "Hold on moment, you're not talking about the creature that's been plastered across the news the past two days are you Giles?"

As one, they all turned to stare at him, Cordelia almost pale in shocked disbelief. "Xander!"

"What! I do watch the news these days." He replied slightly offended by their looks. "I have depth too, you know!"

"Yes well…" Giles started recovering slightly as around them, the others hid grins. "What exactly did they say Xander?"

The young man actually stood up and started to pace. "Well for one, it appears to be mutilating animals all over the place and removing all of their internal organs."

"Like eww!" Cordelia exclaimed covering her mouth, as she grew pale. Amy also had a hand to her mouth, eyes wide in slight disgust and Willow was making strange faces, paler than normal.

"Xan, that is so gross!" The redhead exclaimed.

"But the plain facts nonetheless, Will."

The slender girl stuck her tongue out at him at that response and he returned the favour.

With a sigh, Giles stepped forward. "Alright you two, enough, we don't have time to revisit the playground with you. Xander, what else did the news report say. I can't believe that I missed them."

Sticking his tongue out at Willow first though, Xander continued with a strangely thoughtful air. "It seems to grab the animal, slitting its throat with either a knife or claw, leaving only a small trail of blood. What's real peculiar is that the blood trail then completely vanishes. When the creature's kill is found, all the organs are thrown about the area and it's completely soaked with its blood. What makes it really weird is that apart from the complete mutilation, the only organs actually missing are the brains and eyes which the creature is believed to have eaten."

As one, two chairs fell to the ground in a crash as Cordelia and Amy raced out of the Library, hands covering their mouths. Willow followed at a slightly slower pace, hitting Xander across the back of his head as she passed him. "Pig!"

As the door swung shut behind her, Angel moved away from the banister and glared at him, growling. "Congratulations, Harris. The girls are now going to be ill for the rest of the evening."

"I don't understand." Xander replied in genuine confusion as he rubbed the spot that Willow had hit. "We've come across much worse in the last two years."

"Yes, but you don't normally go into such graphic and verbal detail or with such glee." Giles informed him, removing his glasses and cleaning them. "I really feel that you have some apologies to make, Xander."

Oz broke into a rare broad grin. "More than some, Giles," He said in his quiet fashion. "I would say that humble pie is needed… in large slices."

All three heads turned as the doors opened and the redhead returned, even paler than normal. It brought the vampire to her side in a flash of speed, arm around her waist as she leant her head against his shoulder, as he drew her over to the table.

Oz was on his feet as well. "Will, are you alright?"

She sat down in the chair that the Watcher had drawn out for her, still leaning against Angel with an air of overwhelming weariness. Turning her head slight, she smiled weakly at her former boyfriend. "I'm a whole lot better than Cordy, Oz." She then turned to glare at her best friend. "Xander, your girlfriend doesn't exactly like you at the moment."

"Oh lord." Xander groaned as he made a move towards the doors. "I better go find her."

"Xander, you're not exactly high on Amy's like list at the moment either." Willow added quietly, giggling weakly.

With another groan, Xander thumped his head against the door. "Oz, come with me, man. I think I'm going to need help."

Oz rolled his eyes, making Willow giggle again as he joined their friend.

As the door closed behind them, she rose slowly to her feet, steadying herself with a hand on Angel's shoulder. "I'll see what I can find out about this creature on the net, Giles."

"Thank you, Willow." He replied gratefully. "But are you sure you feel up to it, child. The pictures could be more graphic and much more disturbing if Xander's lurid description is anything to go by."

"Those I can take." The redhead replied as she returned to her usual chair. "Xander was just taking too great a relish in describing it. Reading it I can take, his verbal imagery I can't."

"Strange child," Giles murmured warmly.

"Pick up a Stephen King novel one day, Giles and you'll find out why?" Angel said with a quiet grin. "Those books are enough to give a vampire a bad fright."

"Don't exaggerate, Angel." The murmured but absent comment reached both Watcher and vampire easily. "I know one vampire in particular, namely you, who had a fit of laughter when he read one."

"I think that was supposed to put me in my place." Angel grinned at the Watcher; his eyes sparkling in a way not originally associated with him then joined Willow at the computer.

Giles watched as he lowered his head to Willow's, asking a quiet question. The redhead replied then drew him down beside her. Angel immediately rested his arm on the back of her chair, his other hand gently pushing back a lock of hair.

The Watcher returned to the books he was looking through for his own reasons and purposes, although his thoughts lingered on the look shared by the dark haired vampire and the redheaded hacker.

He therefore missed the way Angel's hand cupped her cheek before kissing her gently or the way she smiled at him, eyes softer than normal.

*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*

All three looked up when the double doors opened and the remaining Slayerettes returned to the library, doing their best to hide slight grins at the look on Xander's face.

"Xander, I may never talk to you again." The blonde witch was moaning as she leant against Oz. "Does your imagination always have to be so lurid?"

As Xander went to reply, Willow shot in quickly. "Don't say it, Xander, don't even think it."

Looking at his friend, then the other two girls, Xander quickly shut his mouth, helping his girlfriend to her seat and sat down himself. He then picked up a large book and promptly hid his face in it, trying to make himself as small as possible.

Three hours later, Willow looked away from the computer screen. Frowning she touched the vampire's leg to get his attention. "Angel, look at this. I've found something that seems to fit Xan's description. It's called, where is it, oh, a Toldar."

The vampire drew even closer, moving his arm from her chair to around her shoulders. On the screen was a humanoid-like creature with huge scaly wings. It had long double-jointed arms with razor sharp claw like hands and large piercing black eyes. Its skin was a mixture of green and blue scales and smooth skins.

"I'm sure I've heard of a creature like that mentioned in the Chronicles." He raised his gaze to the Watcher. "Giles, you better come and look at this."

The Watcher joined them and started to read out loud what was on the screen. "The Toldar is a peculiar creature, even amongst some of the more peculiar legends and bestiaries. It is believed to have been brought into existence by the joining of a winged demon minion and a willing mortal woman steeped in dark supernatural powers and under normal circumstances, it mainly takes on the characteristics of its in-humanoid father."

"However it is believed to also have the ability to take on the appearance of an extraordinarily handsome young man, a gift from its dark empowered mother."

"How come all these things are always handsome?" Amy asked curiously as she and Oz came round to look at the screen. "It's just so cliché."

"I wouldn't call that snake creature, Machida good looking." Cordelia objected fiercely. "Now that was down right ugly and then some."

"If the peanut gallery has quite finished…" Giles inserted swiftly, glaring at them over the top of his glasses. The two girls looked at him sheepishly while Willow giggled. "Thank you. There's a bit more here. 'Legend has it that prior to a prolonged appearance in human form and to aid its magical transformation, the creature is thought to…'"

His voice faded away. "Oh dear, oh dear…"

"Giles, you're wiggin' me out here." Xander moved forward. "Willow, explain please and in American English."

The petite redhead had taken the opportunity to scroll down the page and read the remainder of the text for herself. The more she read though; the paler she became and Angel slipped his arm around her waist, pulling her closer. She looked up at him. "Goddess, Angel, it is coming to the Hellmouth and when it does…"

"Humans are going to start being killed violently." The vampire said flatly. "Giles, we have a major problem."

"But why would the Toldar come here at all." Oz asked sensibly. "There's no real reason for it."

"Halloo! The Hellmouth," Cordelia murmured.

"Oz and Cordy are both right." Willow turned to look up at the Watcher, unconsciously leaning back against the vampire. "What exactly has the Hellmouth got to offer it?"

"Then that's obviously what we need to start looking in to, Willow." The Watcher replied moving towards his office. "It's time to look in the books."

"I'll need the Chronicles then Giles. I have this vaguest feeling that there is something in the earlier recordings." Angel ran his fingers against Willow's cheek in silent reassurance first, the small redhead leaning into it and then stood up.

"They're in their usual place, Angel. Willow if you could please see if you can find out anything else on that machine of yours."

"I'm already on it."

Giles turned to the others. "Amy, Oz, see if you can find out anything in reference to destroying this creature, if it turns out to be necessary."

The witch and the werewolf nodded, before heading up into the stacks. Xander and Cordelia looked at each other then at the Watcher. "What do you want us to do, Giles?" The young man asked.

"Do a brief sweep, pick up some food for us then head back here. We can't afford to stop our usual routines." He replied as he returned to his own customary seat. He picked up his own current research book. "But the more eyes we have looking the better under the circumstances."

*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*

_Getting near the end of what I've already written so updates won't be as frequent plus the fact I'm back at work._

_As always looking forward to seeing what you have to say ;op_


	9. Chapter 9

See part 1 for disclaimer

*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*

Part Nine

As it neared midnight, Oz slowly emerged from the stacks, still reading the open book he was carrying, a frown on his face. "Giles, I don't suppose that you have any idea as to where Charlemagne's sword is, do you?"

"Actually…" Giles looked up. "What am I saying, no, I don't. Why on earth made you ask, Oz?"

"Something I came across in this book just a moment ago." He came down the steps and handed the book to the Watcher. "Try the second paragraph down. It appears to describe the killing of one of these creatures with that particular sword."

"Does it now? Interesting, extremely interesting," He mused as he took the book and started reading. "Thank you Oz."

The werewolf sat down, glancing round the library as he did so. Xander and Cordelia were leaning against each other, fast asleep. Amy was curled up in a chair by the steps, a book in her lap as she slowly turned the pages. Sensing someone watching her, she looked up and grinned at him, before returning to her book.

He looked over to the computer, expecting to find Willow in her usual place, but to his surprise, for once she wasn't. Looking round, he tracked the petite redhead down to where she now lay stretched out asleep on the library sofa. The vampire was sitting on the floor leaning against it, a tower of books at his side that he was supposed to be looking through.

He was actually watching the redhead though, holding one of her small hands in his, as he gently brushed back her fringe out of her eyes. Upon his face was a rare expression of peacefulness, an expression the werewolf had never seen Angel wearing before.

He couldn't help himself as a small grin passed through the guitarist's normally stoic eyes.

"Giles, the gang's asleep." He murmured quietly, "And the clock's just hit midnight."

The Watcher looked up and around the library, taking in the scene around him, his eyebrow raising slightly as he took in the vampire and hacker. He turned back to the werewolf. "Can you wake up Xander and Cordelia, Oz.?"

"My pleasure," He grinned, moving towards them.

Standing up, Giles looked over to the vampire. "Angel, you better wake Willow up."

The vampire dropped his hand away, turning to the older looking man. "I'd rather not, Giles. She's too deep for once in her life."

Standing, Angel moved his books to the table, looking over to the other witch. "Amy, aren't you staying with Will at the moment."

Yawning, the blonde closed her book and stretched. "Yeah, Dad's out of town this month and as Will's olds are almost permanently gone these days, it makes life easier. Especially with whoever is following us."

"I've got the van out back, Angel." Oz said quietly as he joined the vampire and the sleeping redhead. Behind him, Xander and Cordelia were walking slowly and sleepily out of the library front doors, the young man holding his drowsy girlfriend up.

"Thanks Oz." Angel gently lifted the sleeping girl into his arms. "Giles, I'll have a look through the books I have at my place. I took most of the books from the mansion when Willow made me move out."

"I'd appreciate it, Angel." The Watcher replied as he started to lock up. "Amy, would you tell Willow that I'll be here before school tomorrow."

"Sure Giles." The witch replied as she followed Oz and the vampire up into the stacks towards the back doors. She caught up with them just as they reached them.

"Is it me?" She asked suddenly catching hold of the vampire's arm urgently but gently enough not to disturb the sleeping redhead. "Or is it too quiet for words?"

Both vampire and werewolf looked at her then surveyed the area with their enhanced senses.

"Wait here while I get the van." Oz said quietly. "There's nothing out there at the moment but…"

"We're on the Hellmouth's back door, and here is more defensive." Angel nodded, shifting the sleeping redhead in his arms slightly.

The werewolf nodded, and then vanished into the shadows. The blonde witch drew closer to the vampire, her gaze darting nervously around. "I've never really realised just what they went through all this time."

"Welcome to the Scooby Gang, Amy." The vampire grinned. "As Xander puts it, reality sucks."

The guitarist arrived back a few moments later in his colourful van. Amy opened the door, allowing the vampire to lift the sleeping redhead into the back before joining her. He gently moved her so that she was leaning against him and using him as a pillow.

Closing the door with an unnecessary slam, she promptly jumped into the front seat with Oz. "Home James and don't spare the horses."

With a grin, Oz did exactly that.

As they turned into Willow's street, she suddenly started awake. "Oz, pull in here." She commanded firmly. "Someone's trying to get into the house."

Amy swung round startled. "How can you be so sure, Willow. I didn't feel a thing."

"I kind of added an alarm to the wards on my room, that's why." Willow sat up, although Angel kept his arms around her shoulders as he sensed the tenseness she was doing a good job of hiding. "I felt someone trying to get in but being stopped."

A moan escaped her and she buried her head against Angel, wrapping her arms around his waist. "Oh Goddess, Angel, please not again please don't let it be happening again."

He immediately drew her onto his lap, enveloping her with his strong arms as he looked over her head to the werewolf. He nodded towards her home. "Oz, see what you can find out."

The guitarist nodded, slipping out of the van, leaving the vampire and the blonde witch watching over their companion. Amy glanced at Angel for a moment and found herself almost stunned by the look in the vampire's dark soulful eyes. He was gently rocking the petite girl back and forth, holding her as if he never intended to let her go again.

What stunned her even more was the way her normally shy friend was clinging to the vampire as if he was the only person she could trust. The little redhead looked up at Angel for a moment and he kissed her gently before she rested her head back against him, tightening her hold around his waist.

Oz returned five minutes later, carrying two long white boxes. "This was all I could find. Who ever left them was gone long before I got them." His eyes, however, told a different story. "The cards have got your names on them, Will, Amy."

"Our names!" Amy exclaimed, taking the box he handed her. She swiftly removed the black ribbon, then the lid. "Oh… my… Goddess!" She removed a black rose. "It's beautiful but why? Why would anyone be sending me a black rose?"

Willow raised her head, a puzzled look in her green eyes. Moving slightly but remaining in Angel's protective hold, she reached out for the second box and opened it as well… only to remove a second black rose. "Now this definitely qualifies as of the weird."

"Hellmouth weird or just plain weird," Oz murmured almost tongue in cheek, grinning as the two girls glared at him. He started up the van again and drew into Willow's driveway. "I'll see you two in school tomorrow."

"Okay." The two girls slipped out, Willow turning back to the vampire. "Angel?"

"Be there in a minute, Will." Waiting till they were out of earshot and inside the safety of the house, the vampire turned to the werewolf. "Well?"

"I caught sight of someone remarkably like Spike chasing after someone." The werewolf replied quietly. "I also caught the trace of two creatures on the balcony and the strongest scent was on the boxes."

"Spike?" Angel growled, eyes flashing gold for a second.

"No, strange to say. Scenario here – Spike came across who ever left the boxes and has gone after them." Oz looked puzzled for a moment. "This is weird, man."

"Very. I wonder what the hell he's playing at. I think it's time I had words with that childe of mine." The vampire mused. "Alright, Oz thanks."

The werewolf nodded in response, then drove off.

Angel entered the house, locking the door behind him. He noticed the light flashing on the answer phone and called out. "Will, you've got messages."

"Get them, will you." Her voice came back from the kitchen where it was obvious she and Amy had headed straight for on entering the house. "Thanks Angel."

"What am I, Will, your secretary?" He called back laughing and shaking his head.

"You mean you're not." She called back giggle fore and aft. "And there's me thinking you were."

"I'll get you back for that, young lady." He called back as he pressed the button. "You have 2 messages."

"Will, its Cordelia. You'll never guess what I found when I got home. A beautiful black rose in a long white box. Way weird right! Xander is so jealous. I'll see you in school in the morning."

"More than you know, Cordelia." Angel murmured. "Especially considering Amy and Willow have also received one."

"Willow, this is your father. Your mother and I will be home on November 1st. Please see that the guestroom is made ready for our arrival. We will be bringing an important guest with us. Important for your future, so your presence will be required. Try to be there for once."

"I'm so thrilled." Willow murmured from behind him. "I must do my best not to be. Anything else, Angel?"

Angel turned to find her leaning against the banister, her eyes dark. "Just Cordy, she's received a rose as well."

"Majorly weird, to say the least," Amy murmured joining them. "I wonder who else did."

The vampire drew the redhead into his arms and she wrapped her own about his waist. "I'm not happy with the idea of you two being here on your own here tonight, Willow."

"Angel, we're seventeen and witch's at that." She replied firmly leaning back to look up at him. This was clearly not the first time she'd had this particular conversation with the vampire. "We can take care of ourselves."

"I know but…" Willow raised her fingers to his lips as Amy laughed.

"I wouldn't say anymore if I were you, Angel." She said quietly as she walked passed them. "You should know her resolve face when you see it. See you in the morning, Wills."

"Night Amy," The redhead replied fingers still on Angel's lips. Green eyes were fastened on brown as they fought a silent battle of wills.

Amy rolled her eyes and continued upstairs. 'This would be sad if it wasn't hysterically funny.' She thought to herself grinning.

"Alright Angel," Willow gave a sigh eventually removing her fingers and resting her hand on his shoulder. "Just promise me you won't cut it too close to sunrise before you go leave."

"You know me too well, ionúin." He raised his hand to her cheek, caressing it with his thumb. "What is it?"

"Did you really think I wouldn't know you're holding back on me?" She caught his hand. "Tell me!"

"I will, I promise." He lowered his head and kissed her swiftly, "When I've checked it out."

"Then you better go by the mansion." She murmured, giggling at the stunned expression on his handsome face. She raised herself on tiptoes and kissed him. "Try not to dust him on sight, Angel. I have the strangest feeling that he may be useful to us."

She freed herself, running her hand over his cheek in a soft parting caress.

"You continuously surprise me, baby." He murmured as he watched her go.

*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*

"Giles, Giles." As one, the three girls burst through the library doors the following day, carrying their respective white flower boxes. "Look what we've got."

"Doughnuts," He commented wryly as he came out of his office grinning. In reply they held out the black roses to him. "Very nice, and this is important because…"

"Because every single senior girl received one last night even the geeks," Cordelia replied jumping up on the booking counter. "A white box, a white card with their name in black, and get this, done in hand written script and a single perfect black rose."

The Watcher's grin had faded to a frown. "Strange."

"Hellmouth strange," Amy said quietly. "What makes it even weirder is the fact that they knew I was at Willow's last night."

"Willow…" He turned to find the redhead already at the computer, "Ah, excellent! Amy perhaps you can see what you can find on the shelves."

The blonde witch nodded, moving towards the second level as he turned to the brunette. "Cordelia, do you happen to know where Xander and Oz are? They are supposed to be here as well."

"That annoying troll grabbed them as we came in." She jumped down off the counter. "Have to go, Giles. Unlike these two, I've got a class first period." With that she promptly left.

"Thank you, Ms Chase, as always for your brief assistance." He murmured as he returned to his office, followed by a light giggle from the listening redhead and smiled himself.

After a futile search, Willow abandoned her computer an hour later. She raised her voice as the Watcher was in his office. "Giles, I'm going. I won't be back until after last class. I've got tutorials at lunch."

She had just reached the doors when he called her name. "Willow, is Angel aware of these new developments."

"Of course he is, Giles. For one, he was there last night and another, I just emailed him." The redhead replied grinning mischievously at him. "Unlike you, dear Giles, he's not allergic to new technology."

Laughing she disappeared followed shortly afterward by a giggling Amy. "Bye Giles."

"I most definitely have the strangest of charges." He murmured to himself as he returned to his office. He was however smiling.

Mid afternoon, the sound of the phone ringing jarred the Watcher out of the book he was reading. He reached out and picked it up, "Sunnydale High Library, Rupert Giles speaking."

"Giles, its Angel," The vampire's voice was agitated.

"Good lord, what are you doing awake at this time of day."

"We may have a problem."

"Talk to me."

"Tell Willow to check on all strange deaths on the Toldar's route leading to Sunnydale. If what Willie's just told me is true, the creature may already be here."

"This is extremely not good as the children would say."

"Believe me I know. Is Willow there?"

"Not yet. She said she had classes this afternoon."

"I'm about to come through the tunnels but if she does get there before me, tell her he's here. Willow will understand." The line was terminated.

"Mr Cryptic lives, or should that be unlives." Giles murmured to himself as he put the phone down. "Good Lord, I'm beginning to sound like Willow."

Just then the library doors opened and the young woman on question slipped in. "Hi Giles."

"I thought you had classes this afternoon." Startled he turned to face her.

"That makes two of us then." Dropping her book bag on the table, she jumped on top. "Got to the lab and Mrs Sorrelson was there. It appears Dr Woods has been struck down with a migraine attack, so we've got study periods."

"Then shouldn't you still be at the lab." He asked removing his glasses to clean them.

"I never thought being a student teacher would be useful." Willow grinned mischievously. "I just said I needed to speak to you about some books I wanted."

"Yes, well." He put his glasses back. "You just missed Angel on the phone. He's on his way here through the tunnels. He wants you to look up all the strange deaths on the Toldar's route."

"I'm on it." The redhead jumped off the table and headed to her computer to boot up. "By the way, you looked weird when I came in. What else did he say?"

"He's here. Angel said you would understand."

A slight grin crossed through her green eyes making her look more mischievous than normal. "That's going to make life… interesting." She murmured to herself, and then raised her voice again. "Oh, Oz and Amy volunteered to get supplies this evening. Amy needed to go to the magic shop anyway."

"Thank God, no pizza!" The Watcher exclaimed as he went back into his office, accompanied by Willow's musical laughter. "You better close the blinds."

Ten minutes later, Angel emerged from the tunnels to find the library in complete shade and the petite redhead at the printer. "Willow."

"Angel." She turned to look up at him, eyes deeply worried. "I've got the information you wanted. In the past six weeks there have been twelve deaths, all unexplainable and definitely no vampire links."

"Go on, Will, What else did they say?" He joined her on the lower floor.

"They're all exactly the same, even down to very last detail." She replied handing him the printout. "Angel, what's going on?"

Giles emerged from his office just in time to hear the vampire's unwelcome reply. "I think the Toldar has already taken on human form, little one."

"Oh dear Goddess," She buried herself against him and he wrapped his arms around her trembling form. "This is so not good."

"I know, little one." He replied against her hair before looking up at the Watcher. "There's something else you need to know, Giles."

"Why don't I like the sound of this?" He sighed.

*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*

"Xander, I can still look." Cordelia's furious voice could be heard by the threesome working in the library long before the mismatched couple arrived. "I haven't gone blind, you know. Even if I have to doubt my own sanity to still be dating you."

"Cordy, you were looking at him for ten minutes, and that last bit hurt."

"He was sitting in front of me, you… you dweeb!" Cordelia burst into the library ahead of her boyfriend slamming the door shut in front of his face. "I had no choice. Willow, would you please speak to your best friend, he's being totally unreasonable."

The redhead threw her hands up in the air, pretending to field her off. "Leave me out of this one, Cordy. He can dig himself out of whatever hole he's in by himself. Just one thing though…"

"What?" Cordelia asked warily.

"Just tell me who you're talking about because I am way in the dark here."

Cordelia jumped up onto the booking counter and took out her mirror. "Troy Warner the new senior. You haven't seen him yet but he's a bona certified hunk, and worth a second look without a doubt." She then waved a hand absently at Angel, "Even if your own tall dark and dangerous could beat him into the ground."

She promptly proceeded to check her make-up after that backward insult compliment to the vampire. He promptly grinned at Willow who shook her head in response at him.

Xander threw himself down in his usual chair, glaring at the brunette. "He should be in your computer lab on Friday, Will. I saw his timetable when the troll grabbed us this morning." He reached out and grabbed a chocolate bar, proceeding to eat it in one go. "So what else have you found out about our unfriendly demon of the week?"

"Only bad news I'm afraid. It would appear that he may already be in human form." Giles answered looking up from the book he was reading.

Xander sat up straight. "That's so not good."

"Masterly understated," Willow murmured as she stood up and stretched. "And I should know, I said it earlier."

"Doesn't count, Wills, I wasn't here to hear." He threw back at her. The redhead rolled her eyes, hitting him as she passed him. "Ouch, that hurt, Will."

"Good!" Cordelia chimed, grinning at the redhead. "Hit the idiot again, Willow."

"You do it, Cordy. He's your boyfriend. Besides Xan's head is hard." Willow complained a smile lurking in her eyes as she shook her hand, pretending it was hurt. At her comment, Xander promptly objected, Angel hid a smirk and Cordelia giggled while Giles coughed, trying to disguise his own laughter.

Two hours later, the werewolf and the second witch, also arguing joined them.

"I'm telling you, Oz, we were followed." Amy put the bags she was carrying on the table then turned to glare at him. "I felt it the moment we left the magic shop."

"Are you sure Amy?" Giles looked up from the sheet of papers he had been going through with Angel on their arrival. Doing so, he noted that the vampire had tensed suddenly, throwing a look towards the shelves.

He also caught Willow's slight nod as she caught his silent communiqué.

"Very sure, I've felt this particular presence before." Amy replied, sitting down. "The strange thing is I swear who ever it is was watching our backs all the way here."

"Peculiar to say the least," Giles replied writing something on a piece of paper. He stood up and held it out to the redhead. "Willow, can you get these books for me please. They're up in the stacks."

"Sure thing, Giles," Willow jumped to her feet and took the list, glancing over it swiftly only to grimace. "Gi-les, half these books are on the top shelves. There's no way I can reach them even with a stool."

"I'm quite sure Angel would be willing to help you." He murmured, grinning as she promptly pulled the vampire out of his seat and into the stacks after her.

Once in the stacks, Angel took the lead, Willow following close behind him, hand in his belt. He stopped suddenly and she bumped into him. "Angel, warn me!" She hit him slightly.

"Spike!" He growled after kissing the top of her head in silent apology. "I know you're here."

"Angelus, Red." The familiar mocking accented voice reached them as the blonde vampire came out of the shadows. "What a surprise meeting you here."

"Spike." Willow moved to stand at Angel's side, her eyes frankly curious and her hand still in his belt. "I could say the same for you."

"You don't seem too surprised to see me though, pet." He leant against the nearest bookcase, grinning. "You either, Peaches."

"Can the pleasantries, Spike and get to the point." Angel growled. Only the petite redhead's calming vibes through their link and her hand on his arm stopped him going for the younger vampire. "Why are you in Sunnydale and where's Dru?"

To their stunned shock, Spike's annoying grin changed, and there was something in his blue eyes that was not quite in keeping with his usual persona.

"In Brazil as far as I know," He growled eventually. "As to what she's doing there, I neither care nor bloody want to know any more. I've had it with her."

Angel and Willow shared a concerned glance at the sheer bitterness in his voice before the redhead spoke again, her voice comforting. "I'm sorry, Spike."

"I'll live, Red." He reacted to the note in her voice automatically, his tenseness fading slightly.

She nodded realising that now was not the time to push him for the real answer. "So why are you back in Sunnydale, Spike and why follow Amy and me."

The blonde vampire pulled out a book from his duster pocket. "I don't like what's going on around here at the moment, pet and I found this." He responded as he handed her it to her. "And Sunnyhell is as good a place as any to be."

Willow touched Angel's back then moved into the light to examine the book she had been given. "Try not to kill each other, there's enough dust up here as it is." She murmured as she moved away, making the two vampires grin involuntarily with her final remark.

The elder vampire continued to watch her for a moment then turned back to the younger vampire, expression serious once more. "I know you were at Willow's place last night, Spike. Did you see who left the boxes?"

"A brief glimpse when I was chasing after the bugger." The younger vampire scowled. "And I saw what those other buggers did to Red's room, Peaches and it just wasn't right."

"Believe me, Spike, I'm of the same opinion." The dark haired vampire turned slightly so he could see both Willow and Spike. "So why are you following Amy?"

"She's Red's friend, isn't that enough."

Angel just threw him a look that said not convinced.

"I like the look of the chit, alright." He scowled. "How the pair of them knows I've been following them is beyond me."

"Try witchcraft, Spike, Amy and Will are witches." Angel replied distractedly as he sensed a change in the redhead's mood. "Willow, what's wrong?"

"Angel." Her voice wavered and he was at her side in a second, arm around her. "Look at this."

She pointed to a picture of a black rose, her face paler than ever. He read the text next to the picture and his face grew grim.

"Giles!" He raised his voice then took the book out of her trembling hands as she wrapped her arms about his waist. He handed the book to the Watcher as he joined them, wrapping both arms around the redhead. "You better look at this."

Giles immediately started to read the pages that were causing so much concern, and then looked up at the two vampires and the trembling redhead. "Where did you get this from?"

"Spike gave it to me." Willow replied as the dark haired vampire drew her even deeper into his protective hold. Even Spike had moved closer, the expression on his face one of concern for the petite girl.

"Giles…" She continued. "He's picked his intended victims already hasn't he?"

The Watcher nodded sadly and the redhead buried her face against Angel, shuddering in fear.

*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*

_As the story is really beginning to take shape now!_

_As for Willow and Xander no longer being best friends, well, they are still friends and that is all that matters._

_As always looking forward to seeing what you have to say ;op_


	10. Chapter 10

See Part 1 for disclaimer

*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*

Part Ten

"Spike, duck!"

A bolt flew through the space where the peroxide vampire had just been, dusting the huge fledgling that had been about to grab him. He stood up, dusting himself off and turned to face the slender girl who had just saved his unlife. She was just lowering her crossbow, an impish grin in her green eyes.

"Nice shot, pet." He sauntered over to her side as she slipped the strap back on her shoulder. "Where's your ever present shadow, Red. You don't normally patrol on your own."

"She's not on her own, Junior," Xander emerged from the shadows behind her followed swiftly by the dark haired vampire and the remaining Slayerettes. "So don't even think of taking a bite."

As he spoke, the vampire heard the redhead suppress a growl. "Xander, will you just stop. When will you get it through your thick brain that Spike's helping us now? He hasn't even attempted to bite me."

"Besides, I like my unlife and Peaches would dust me if I even thought about it." Spike muttered in her ear. "I'm not that stupid."

"Will, he's a vampire and he doesn't even have a soul to use as an excuse." Xander continued unrelenting in the dislike he had transferred from Angel to the younger vampire.

"Tell me something I didn't already know." She shot back as she moved to Angel's side. He immediately dropped his arm around her shoulder as she punched her best friend in the arm. "Not another word, Xander." She warned him, her fist rising as if she was going to hit him again.

"Yes indeed, Xander. Your arguments are becoming a little repetitious, especially after three weeks of them." Giles agreed as he leant against a nearby headstone.

The young man subsided under the glare of his best friend and a thump in the chest from his girlfriend.

"Idiot!" She murmured in his ear. "You should know better by now."

"Willow…" The Watcher asked turning back to the redhead. "How many reports did you find for tonight?"

"Three newbies. The one I just took down was a bonus." She replied drawing her leather jacket about her as a cool breeze shot through the area. The nights had begun to grow colder, a rare thing for California. "One buried over in Ferndale and two here."

"Right, Xander, Cordelia, I would suggest that we take Ferndale." The Watcher straightened.

"That clearly leaves here to us then." Angel nodded in response to the silent look in the younger man's eyes. "Spike, you're with us."

"Come on Amy, let's scope out a place to watch." Willow drew away from his side and caught hold of the blonde witch's arm, looking back over her shoulder at the spiked-haired young man still with them. "Oz, are you coming?"

"Not this time, Will." The werewolf grinned. "The band's got a gig, so the vampire population of Sunnydale will have to do without me for once."

"I'm sure that they'll be absolutely devastated, won't they, Willow." Amy murmured a sly grin in her eyes. "We'll see you in school then."

The werewolf merely grinned at her then faded away into the shadows. Giles and the other two teenagers had already left, leaving the two witches with the vampires. The two girls immediately started to walk ahead of them, heads close together as they left Angel and Spike to follow.

"When did Red start carrying a crossbow?" Spike asked curiously. "And how come she's so bloody good with the damn thing. That shot was in the air before I'd even moved. I've never even seen a Slayer do a shot that good."

"She found the coroners report three nights ago, and knew an ordinary stake would be no good. He was a half-back from the rival High School." His sire replied, his sparkling eyes never leaving the little redhead's back. "As for the rest, good question. Will!"

She turned and started walking backwards. "Yes, Angel."

"He wants to know how you made the shot." The vampire told her with a grin. "I think he's in awe of you."

"Very Funny Peaches, you should go on the road with that act." Spike scowled. "So Red…"

"Natural talent of course," Willow replied seriously straight-faced. Her merrily sparkling eyes told a slightly different story however.

"Willow!" Angel laughed, holding out his hand to her. "Tell the truth, little one."

The redhead skipped merrily to his side then punched the blond vampire's arm. "Magic of course, you idiot, while I concentrated on the shot itself, Amy enhanced the bolt to make sure it penetrated."

"You lot really do believe in teamwork, don't you." Spike murmured as he started to grin in response to the highly mischievous look in the redhead's green eyes. The grin faded as he turned to look at the blonde witch still in front of them, "Something wrong, pet?"

Amy was staring at something straight ahead of them. "Ah, Will…" She said slowly. "I thought you said there were only two here." She started to walk backwards, bumping into Spike.

"I did." Willow replied just as she felt the vampire next to her tense. She slipped the crossbow off her shoulder. "Angel?"

"Seven." He replied, eyes flashing.

Spike caught hold of Amy and pulled her behind him. "Stay there pet." He growled over his shoulder at her.

Willow barely hid her grin as she caught the tongue her friend stuck out at his back. She just handed the crossbow back to her, nodding towards the small table tomb nearby. Amy acknowledged it with a nod of her own, then sticking her tongue out at Spike's back again, started to move into position.

Rolling her eyes, the little redhead turned to look up at Angel and found a slight smirk playing on his lips.

She raised an eyebrow in silent query and he nodded his head, running his finger down the side of her face, "Ready to fight álainn."

"Always unfortunately," She glanced over to Spike. "How exactly are we going to do this? Spike, do the clans know that you are back in town."

"They might do, Red, but couldn't say for sure." The blond vampire responded his eyes glinting at the thought of the fight ahead. "Depends on whether that stupid barman kept his mouth shut."

"In that case, they know."

Angel drew the petite girl closer, resting his arm about her shoulder, his hand at her neck, finger softly stroking over the pulse point. "Trust me little one." He asked in a low voice, his game face emerging and his eyes flashing.

"Always and forever Angel."

He bent down and kissed the side of her neck, running his tongue over it. Willow promptly shuddered at the sensation.

"Well, well, well. Look whose back in town." The first of the vampires approached them, his attitude cock sure and arrogant, "If it ain't Angelus himself… and Spike and with a tidy little morsel as well."

Angel grinned nastily as he sensed the silent growl from Willow through the bond. The little redhead had most definitely not appreciated that particular remark.

"So bloody what!" Spike growled. "What business is it of yours?"

"You're not the Master here any more, Spike. There's a new one in town."

"And highly unimpressive he's been as well." Angel murmured, as he appeared to thrust Willow at his childe. He began to clap his hands slowly, the smile on his face very reminiscent of Angelus at his best. "Let's give the man one final round of applause."

As he did so, Willow murmured to Spike, her hand in the pocket of her leather jacket. "Spike, I've got a stake if you want it."

"Thanks Red. I think I can manage without it." He gripped her arms firmly. "Peaches is going to make his move."

"I know. He just told me." Willow replied simply, "Amy NOW!"

A bolt shot through the air straight through the heart of one of the vampires as Angel shot out a leg, kicking the one nearest to him into a broken branch. Spike released Willow swinging round to attack the vampires to the left. The small girl pulled out a water pistol firing into the eyes of the three vampires nearest her. She then launched herself into the fight staking one immediately.

On top of the tombstone, Amy kicked away a vampire as it came near to her. As an extra three came out of simply nowhere, she gave a panicked shriek. Breaking the neck of the vampire he was fighting, Spike swung round to see her shoot a bolt through one then use the bow to hit another in the face.

Angel swung round from staking another. "Don't just watch, Spike, help Amy?" He immediately turned to stake the vampire Willow had just kicked at him.

With a growl at his sire, the younger vampire shot forward to help the blonde witch.

Willow staked her last vampire of the original group and turned round to watch her friends. A pair of arms snaked round her waist and she leant back against Angel's chest. "That's eleven, Angel, eleven in one night. Oh Goddess, what if Giles and the others…"

He turned her round and she rested her hands on his chest as he silenced her with his finger. "They'll be fine, little one."

The worry in her green eyes did not lesson in the slightest and he raised her chin. Lowering his head, he kissed her gently. "They'll be fine, baby."

"Angel…" She started before he kissed her again. Her hand slid up his chest into his hair and she held him closer, nipping at his lips as she returned the kiss. He immediately took the opportunity to deepen it, drawing her closer…

"I need a bloody insulin shot." A familiar sarcastic voice broke them reluctantly apart, laughing lightly.

*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*

"Can you believe it's almost Halloween and we still haven't found a trace of the Toldar?" Amy put her books in her locker then slammed it shut. Turning round, she leant back against it and looked over to her friend. "Willow, has Angel said anything about what's going down on the Bronze on Saturday."

The redhead shut her own locker with a little less ferocity. "Are you kidding? For reasons known only to him, he's turned it over to Cordelia."

"Are you quite sure his mind wasn't messed up in Hell?"

"Very funny… not." Willow turned round herself. "He just likes being cryptic every so often still."

"Plus the fact he kisses you every time you start to ask questions." Amy grinned mischievously. "So you're not exactly going to complain are you Wills."

Willow grinned slyly. "Smoochies are good." She cast an even slyer look at her friend. "Kissed Spike yet?"

"Willow!" The genuinely shocked reply started the redhead laughing.

The pair started to walk down the corridor.

"You must have tried the link to find out by now?" The still blushing Amy inquired.

"Where would be the fun in that?" Willow started to reply before groaning suddenly. "Oh please tell me that's not Troy down there. Why doesn't the Hellmouth just open up and swallow me if it wants to torture me."

"I'd almost forgotten that he'd picked you to chase down this week." Amy grinned at the pained expression on her fellow witch's face. "Poor Willow."

"Poor Willow my foot!" The redhead retorted as she started down another corridor. "I have to go. I promised Giles I'd get some things from the magic shop tonight. I might as well go now."

"Chicken!" The blonde called after her. "See you at the Bronze tonight. Spike said he might join us, something about annoying Angel and Xander."

"In that case most definitely," Came back the reply as she vanished. "And I'm not chicken."

"That girl is getting way too good at doing that. Angel is really beginning to rub off on her." Amy muttered to herself as she turned to face the newest senior. "Dear lady what if…" She broke off that line of thought, unwilling to even admit to herself that she had deeper feelings for the younger vampire than people realised.

"Amy!"

Turning, she faced him. "Troy."

"Was that Willow I saw you with just then? I wanted to speak to her."

"Nope!" Amy lied without hesitation. "Haven't seen Will since lunch. Said something about going to see her boyfriend straight after school."

"So, she does have a boyfriend. Is it serious?" He asked as he moved into step with her.

"Extremely," Amy replied looking at the young man out of the corner of her eye. Catching the look on his face, a shiver went down her spine and she suddenly felt very afraid for her friend. "I wouldn't advise you trying to break them up either, Troy. For one, you couldn't even if you tried and for another, he simply adores her and he's not the sort of man that you cross."

"So how come I've never seen him around." His tone of voice clearly said that he didn't believe a single thing she was telling him.

"He doesn't exactly hang out in the same places as you do that's why. Just like us." Amy caught sight of a currently purple haired Oz and felt a sense of relief. "Look Troy, there's a friend of mine I really need to speak to."

She started to move away, then stopped turning back to look at Troy. "I'm not one for giving advice normally but this time I really think I will. Troy put Willow out of your games. You really don't know what he'll do to you if you try for her. Believe me, it won't be nice."

She continued down the corridor, latching onto the werewolf with a sense of desperateness. He raised an eyebrow, looking back over his shoulder, "Trouble?"

"Yeah and all for Willow," Amy started to literally drag the guitarist away. "He's way more interested in her than all the others he's gone after."

"Then we better let the fountain of knowledge know."

"A unique way of referring to Giles, Oz."

"I'm developing a way with words lately." A smile broke through his normally stoic façade. "I was thinking we could let him tell Angel."

"Who's going to tell Spike?" Amy muttered. "Six weeks in his company and it's obvious he's fond of Willow. Not as much as his sire but close."

"Jealous Amy."

"And just why would I of all people be jealous, Oz?" Amy said with a threatening note in her voice.

The werewolf, wise as ever, chose the easy option. "Beats me. We better go tell Giles about Troy."

*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*

That evening, Willow walked into the Bronze with Xander and Cordelia laughing. "Did you see Harmony's face? It was just priceless."

"I know." Cordelia grinned. "Like so totally confused."

"You two are taking too much pleasure from this." Xander pointed out wryly.

"And you're not. Why don't I believe that somehow?" His girlfriend pointed out as she stopped to see who was there.

"Of course I am. I just thought I should point it out that's all."

"Idiot!" Laughing, Willow punched her best friend then went to move towards their usual corner only to find her way blocked by the one man she didn't want to see… Troy Warner.

"Willow, here you are. I've been waiting for you. You're late." He grabbed her arm, speaking as if they had arranged to meet.

"Troy!" Willow said flatly as she did her best to free herself. "Well, here I am, now can you let me go. I'm here with my friends and my boyfriend."

"Of course you are." Totally ignoring what she had said, the dark haired senior started to pull her to the dance floor. "Let's go dance."

"Troy let me go. I don't want to dance with you." As she was completely ignored, Willow shot a look over her shoulder. "Help me! Get Angel."

"Cordy, find Deadboy." Xander ordered his girlfriend as he started to follow them.

"Just don't do anything stupid, Xander." Cordelia responded as she headed in the opposite direction. "And what ever you don't dare embarrass me or Willow."

He merely muttered something under his breath and continued after their redheaded friend.

Willow found herself in the meantime in the middle of the dance floor, trapped in the new senior arms. He started to move them around floor and for some strange reason, she found herself unable to even struggle making her realise that some form of magic was being used to keep her there. She could feel the familiar presence of Angel's mind but sending urgent looks around the club, the only face she could recognise was Xander.

Her best friend was watching her with worried eyes and she sent up a silent prayer. "Goddess please help me!"

As the redhead sent up her desperate plea, Cordelia went up several steps to look about the club for the dark vampire. "Where are you, Angel?" She murmured aloud to herself. "You should know that Willow needs you right now."

As if he had heard her, his familiar voice came from above her. "Cordelia, what's going on? Where's Willow?"

"Angel." Cordelia heaved a sigh of relief and looked up at him. "I was actually beginning to think you weren't here. Has she told you about Troy Warner?"

The vampire moved down a step, a dark look in his eyes. "Will's said that he's been following her."

"Well, he's gone a step further. He grabbed her when we came in." Cordelia pointed out to the dance floor. "He's got her out there and refuses to take no for an answer."

The dark haired vampire spun his head round as he suddenly felt the redhead grow even more agitated… just in time to see the petite girl frantically pulling away from the man holding her as he tried to kiss her. "What in the... Cordy come with me."

As she obeyed him without question, the former cheerleader could have sworn that for a few seconds the vampire's game face had completely emerged. "Heaven help Warner if I'm right."

As she reached the dance floor, it was just in time to catch her boyfriend's arm as he started to follow the vampire out onto the floor and pull him back. "Xander, leave it. Angel can deal with Warner."

"But Cordy…" Xander started to object before catching the relieved look in Willow's eyes. It was obvious she had just caught sight of the vampire moving swiftly towards her. "I'll hold that thought and raise Angel against it."

"I'll take that bet."

"Angel!" Willow breathed thankfully as she pulled away from Troy again. "Thank the Goddess."

"Problem baby?"

"Not now that you're here. Troy… let… me… go!" Once again she pulled away but this time she actually kicked him and succeeded in freeing herself.

Angel immediately reached out and pulled her into to his side. Her arms shot round his waist and she raised her face to his. The vampire caressed her cheek then lowering his head, gently kissed her, "Alright now, little one?"

She raised her own hand to his cheek, and then rubbed her own against his grey jumper allowing their bond to answer him. The fact that she drew even closer to him also shouted her answer and he bent down and kissed her again, lingering for a moment.

"Who are you?" A strange look crossed Warner's face as he watched the redhead cling to the tall handsome and most definitely dangerous looking older man. He had honestly discounted what the blonde Amy Madison had informed him earlier that day, believing she was just trying to warn him away from her friend.

The extremely protective aura that now surrounded the redhead however seem to confirm everything she had tried to tell him and for the first time, he felt a feeling of fear going down his spine. This was definitely not a man to be crossed.

Xander and Cordelia, catching the interested looks being thrown at the three, moved forward. The youth touched the vampire's shoulder. "Angel, I'd move this side show off the floor if I was you."

"You're Angel." Warner actually started to back away bumping into other dancers and earning himself furious glares. "I wasn't told about this."

Before anyone could question what he meant, he slipped away leaving the Slayerettes to look round at each other in bewilderment.

"Now that was way weird." Cordelia said eventually.

"Way weird much." Xander agreed as he put his arm about her shoulders. "Wills, are you okay."

Willow turned to look at him still in Angel's protective hold and looking as if she wasn't moving from that place any time soon. "I'll have a few bruises tomorrow but other than that, I'm fine." She looked up at the vampire. "More than fine."

He ran his finger over her lips, bending down to kiss her again.

"I can get rid of any bruises you've got, Wills but why do you have them." Amy said suddenly from behind them. The four turned round to find the remaining two Slayerettes and the blond vampire. "Does it have anything to so with Troy Warner."

"Especially as we just saw him jump in a car outside and speed away like the devil was after him." Oz added.

"What did you do Peaches? The kid was pale as a ghost." Spike inquired grinning broadly as he drew closer to them. As he moved into the brighter light, he caught the slightly pale features of Willow and his grin faded. He promptly growled.

"Red, what's happened?"

"Stuff." Xander answered blandly earning a growl from both vampires. "Look, I'll fill you three in when we get Wills out of the limelight, so hold your horses."

"Please Angel." Willow had suddenly seen the looks they were getting and her old shyness came out in force as she hid her face against Angel's chest.

"Alright baby." He murmured into her hair.

As one the Slayerettes and vampires responded to the quiet plea moving across to their usual shadowed corner of the Bronze.

Angel drew the petite redhead down onto the sofa with him and she curled up against his side, holding his arm tight around her. Once she was comfortable, she turned her gaze to Amy, "How come you were late any way, Amy?"

"Giles called just as I was leaving." Amy replied as she sat down on the arm of the chair Spike had taken. The other official couple of the group had taken the other end of the sofa while Oz was sitting on a chair turned the wrong way round. "He's got a firm lead on the sword that we need."

"Trust the Watcher man to track it down." Xander grinned. "The question of the hour is can we get our hands on it."

"He seems to think so. He tried your house, Will before he called me." Amy replied quietly. "So what's the deal with Troy? I thought I managed to scare him off this afternoon after you vanished, vampire style."

Xander leant forward and started to tell the other three what had happened as Willow dropped her head to Angel's shoulder. He ran his hand down her cheek sensing her active mind at work through their bond. "I can hear the wheels turning, little one."

"Then let them turn by themselves for a moment." Willow raised her head, brushing back a lock of hair. She moved his arm and entwined her fingers in his so that she could concentrate on his face. "You've been brooding on something lately, Angel. I just haven't got round to worming it out of you. What's going on?"

"Believe me álainn, there's nothing for you to worry about." Angel grinned kissing her forehead. "By the way, still trying to find out what's happening this All Hallows Eve."

"You're enjoying this way too much, Angel." She punched his chest. "No, I'm not. One thing though, how are we going to persuade Giles to come on Saturday?"

"Leave that to us." Angel shared a look with Xander and Oz that had the two young men grinning. "We have it well in hand, trust us."

"He's playing games, Red." Spike rolled his eyes.

"Well, like duh! If that wasn't of the obvious," Cordelia put in as she shared a look with the other two girls - a look that spoke volumes. "I'm feeling worried here girls."

"Bother worried, Cordy, I'm going straight to terrified." Willow finished, thumping Angel again. "Just what are you up to, Angel?"

"If that's terrified, I'm alive and breathing, pet." Spike murmured with a smirk at the redhead. "Want to check."

His sire promptly growled but Willow merely grinned back at him, lowering her head to Angel's shoulder once more as the conversation around them fell into more general subjects.

He gently rested his chin on her head as they listened in contented silence to their friends.

*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*

_Just a little bit of action to get things going!_

_As always looking forward to seeing what you all have to say ie A few more reviews would be nice, just saying! ;op_


	11. Chapter 11

See Part 1 for disclaimer

*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*

Part Eleven

"Cordelia Chase, have you completely lost your mind!" Amy declared. All three girls were at the Chase home preparing for the Halloween party. "I remember the ghost costume Will was made to wear last year and technically, this costume is even more revealing."

The redhead shuddered dramatically. "Please, I'd rather not remember last year."

Her look suddenly turned mischievously reminiscent though and she grinned nastily. "The only good thing about it was when I walked straight through Spike."

"You did what!" Her two companions swung round to face her.

"How come you've never told us this before?" Cordelia demanded.

"Are you turning deaf, Cordy, I said I try not to remember. Believe me, being a ghost is not all it's cracked up to be." The petite girl shuddered again. "If it hadn't been for Angel, it would have been more horrible than it already had been."

"What do you mean by that?" Cordelia asked. "You'd already gone for Giles when Angel turned up."

"Yeah, and if you remember, I was with Angel when we found Buffy." Willow shrugged, "Now not to change the subject, well, actually, anything to change the subject." They all grinned at that, "Our costumes, Cordy, the real ones please."

After glaring at her, Cordelia returned the two piece harem costume back to its box. "It was supposed to be a joke actually but thanks Will, you sort of trumped it."

Willow grinned unrepentantly. "So what are our costumes for tonight? You and Angel have been doing a major cryptic act over the whole thing, you've had our curiosity meters overloading."

She threw herself down on one of the sofas.

"And you really haven't been trying to find out, have you, Will." Amy smirked.

"Hey I resemble that remark." Her infectious giggle had the other two laughing as well. "Smoochies are good."

Still grinning, Cordelia started to pull out box after box from behind the sofa. Her two companions watched in open mouth astonishment, Amy sinking onto the sofa beside the redhead.

"Dear goddess, Cordy, you must have maxed out Angel's credit cards." The blonde witch exclaimed eventually. "Those boxes look expensive."

"They are." Cordelia started to pull items out. "Angel got Spike to hand over his cards as well." She stopped for moment as if considering something. "That may had been more for the look on Spike's face than anything to do with how expensive these things were."

"I can sure see Angel doing that because it must have hurt Spike even to think about it." Willow murmured with a nasty grin that had the other two laughing.

Amy on the other hand was taking a closer look at the costumes and her eyes widened. "My god, Cordy, they're handmade."

"Yeah, I know!" The brunette replied as she picked up one of the items, scanning it as well. "So are the guys' costumes. Angel was extremely insistent. He said something about only the best."

Willow stood up and almost gently picked up one of the outfits. "They're beautiful, Cordy. Just one thing though..."

"What?"

"Is it my imagination or are there four costumes here."

"That's because there are four." The brunette replied as the doorbell rang. "Hold on a second while I go answer that."

She left the two witches looking at each other.

"She's up to something." Amy said bluntly.

"Tell me something I didn't already know." Willow murmured.

"I can feel the love out here, girls." Cordelia shouted back from the entrance hallway.

"Go answer the door, Cordy." The redhead yelled back with a grin as she put the dress she was holding down." Amy, have you noticed that there are four different styles here."

"There are! Will, you know history's not my strong point." The blonde witch responded as she reached out to take a piece of pizza. "Just what is Cordelia up to, do you think."

"I sense Angel's hand in this, more than Cordelia's." His girlfriend murmured, "At least where these things are concerned."

As if in answer to the blonde's question, the brunette returned with a familiar person. Seeing her, the other two girls looked at each other and simultaneously said her name in stunned shock. "Mrs Summers!"

"Hello Willow, Amy." The elder woman said quietly, smiling in response at the stunned looks on her absent daughter's friends' faces.

"Mrs Summers." The two girls chorused before giggling.

The elder woman's smile grew brighter. "In case you're wondering…"

"Which we were!" Amy inserted, smiling mischievously as she did so.

Joyce smiled back then continued. "Angel came by and invited me to the Halloween dance. Something about helping Giles keep an eye on things."

"Angel came by…" Willow repeated before breaking off to look at her two friends, an impish grin emerging. "Now I really am terrified."

"Has anyone got a phone I can borrow?" Amy murmured to no-one in particular. "I need to see if Spike's started breathing."

As both girls referred to the conversation from the Bronze, the three teenagers burst into laughter leaving Joyce Summers to look at all three of them with puzzled amusement, "I take it that's one of those things I don't want to know about." She said dryly.

At their combined nods, she shook her head. "Teenagers!"

"If the cap fits…" Cordelia grinned, "Which it does."

"In that case, let's get to the more important part of the evening. Let's see these wonderful costumes then."

Cordelia sprang back round to the boxes. "Amy, this is yours. Angel thought you might feel easier with the sixties."

Amy immediately took the blue mini dress with flowing sleeves from the brunette, a look of deep approval lighting up her eyes. "He's right there. I can most definitely live with this." She said with a grin as she took the other boxes that contained the rest of her costume.

"Mrs Summers, we thought that you might enjoy the twenties."

"I think you better start calling me Joyce." She replied as she took the red fringed flapper costume Cordelia held out, "Especially if I'm wearing this."

"Of course." The three girls chorused immediately, wicked grins floating around the room.

"Wills, I'm telling you right up front that I had absolutely nothing to do with yours. Angel picked it out for you." Cordelia turned a knowing grin to the redhead. "I'll say one thing for your vampire; he sure knows how to pick clothes, no matter the century."

Willow merely blushed as the brunette handed over a pure silk Empire dress in a green that almost matched the redhead's eyes.

Amy reached over and touched the sleeve, sighing almost enviously. "It's beautiful dress, Willow. You'd knock him dead for sure… if he wasn't already dead that was and did I really just say that out loud."

"Amy, stop rambling. That's my thing." Willow rebuked almost absently as she ran her hand over her dress before literally shaking herself and turning a dreamy but sharp gaze to her fellow witch. "Besides, haven't you got your own vampire to knock alive or isn't Spike your date tonight after all."

"Willow!" Amy blush was almost as red as Willow's hair and she tried to hit the redhead who managed to deftly avoid it.

With the impish grin still lighting up her green eyes, Willow turned back to the brunette. "So what period costume did you get, Cordy?"

Cordelia pulled put a maroon dress that a definite renaissance cut to it. "I get to go medieval just so my idiot boyfriend can wear a sword for the evening."

"That is so not what I wanted to hear, Cordy." Amy groaned in mock pain. "Xander's dangerous enough on the dance floor as it is but a sword as well… words are beyond me."

"I'd never have known that if you hadn't said it, Amy. Would you, Joyce?" Willow said eyes glinting with a sheer look of roguishness.

"No Willow, I wouldn't have." Joyce Summers replied, an equally roguish look on her face.

"You are so going to pay for that Willow Rosenberg." Amy shot back at her.

"Hah! Just try." Willow retorted before grimacing. "On second thoughts maybe I will. He's going to insist on dancing with all of us."

"Goddess help us." Amy groaned.

"Hey, that's my boyfriend you're dissing." Cordelia objected half-heartedly.

"Our friend first," Willow shot back with a grin. "And you know the same thing went through your mind, Cordelia Chase. I saw it."

"Alright, maybe it did." She agreed. "But he is my boyfriend, so jokes aside; we better start to get ready, especially as our hair is going to take forever."

"That's our Cordy." Willow and Amy chorused, sending themselves and the others into a fit of tear inducing laughter.

*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*

Several hours later, Willow stood looking at herself in the long length mirror; green eyes wide open in sheer disbelief. "Th… that's me!" She said in astonishment. "That really is me, isn't it?"

"Yes, Willow dear." Joyce said quietly, smiling softly at the stunned look on the petite redhead's face. She had been watching her from the doorway. "It really is you, dear. That's what everyone else sees when they look at you."

"I… I've never believed it before." Her voice was even softer than normal, still unbelievingly slightly in its tone.

"I'm sure there's a certain handsome dark haired vampire out there that will manage to convince you, Willow." Joyce responded to the rhetorical question as she came into the room. "Talking of Angel, he gave me something to give to you when I found you on your own."

"He's already given me this dress and everything else." Willow turned round just in time to see Joyce pull out a long velvet box, "A jewellery box!"

"That's what it looks like to me." Growing amused, she held out the box to the petite girl. "I'm dying to know what's inside. Especially as he made me promise not to look inside."

"Subtle… not for once," Willow smiled shakily as she put the case down on the dressing table. She slowly opened the lid, took a quick look inside then slammed it shut. "By the Goddess…" She stuttered, paling.

Joyce moved forward and opened the box herself. Lying on the black velvet background was a beautiful and most definitely antique necklace. It comprised of a delicate looking silver chain of Celtic links and an emerald stone the exact shade of her eyes hung from the centre. With gentle fingers, the elder woman lifted it from its case and placed it around the petite redhead's neck.

She then turned the girl back to the mirror and stepped back, nodding. "Yes, just what you needed to finish it off. Angel has most definitely thought of everything."

Willow raised trembling fingers to the necklace, and then drew them away. "Oh Goddess, this is so unreal… I have to be dreaming."

"It's not a dream, Willow this is reality, your reality." Joyce answered her own smile growing. "It's just that sometimes the real things, the true real things feel like dreams. You've just been lucky to find it so young."

Willow swallowed and turned away from the mirror, only to gasp. "Joyce… you look fantastic. How ever did you manage to get your hair like that?"

"To be honest, Amy waved her fingers and voila…" Joyce smiled, accepting the change of subject. "Cordelia had to find her a picture in an old fashion book."

"History never has been Amy's strong point." Willow giggled. "How's Cordy doing or is she still having trouble with her hair."

"I did hear Amy ask how come Cordelia knew so many colourful swear words." Joyce sat down on the bed and grinned. "In fact, she was mock demanding to know when she taken to hanging around the docks and Spike and whether she should let Xander know."

Willow giggled just as the sound of two sets of feet thundered up the stairs. Amy arrived first, flushed and laughing carrying her dress matching colour boots. "Help! Cordy's gone mad." She giggled. "She just will not accept her hair's not long enough for the style she wants."

Joyce caught hold the witch and made her sit down. "Catch your breath Amy and put your boots on. We'll deal with Cordelia."

On her cue, Cordelia entered, holding her long skirts in one hand and ribbons in the other, her dark hair flying wildly around her face. "Willow, help me please. The car's due in ten… Oh wow! Nice necklace and it's real." She ended on a squeal.

"Calm down, Cord. You can drool over it later." Willow drew her friend over to the mirror, grinning as she did so at the not so typical possession obsessed remark. "Let's see what I can do for your hair. Close your eyes and don't open them till I say so."

She started to murmur the spell she had used on her own hair and closed her eyes. Doing so, she missed the fact that her emerald pendant began to glow with an unearthly light in time with the gentle cadence of the words she was murmuring.

Amy and Joyce Summers however did not. They shared a stunned look.

A moment later, Willow opened her eyes. "Okay Cordy, open your eyes."

The brunette did so and found her self, staring at the two long plaits. They fell to her knees and were entwined with the ribbons the same shade as her dress. "Oh wow, Wills! Major mojo good."

"I thank you." Willow actually curtseyed, then looked around the bedroom. "Has anyone seen my gloves? I know I saw a pair that went with my dress."

"Downstairs on the sofa," Cordelia replied just as a car horn blew outside. "That must be our ride to the Bronze, so let's go. We've got an entrance to make."

"Don't forget your cloaks. It's turned cold outside all of a sudden." Joyce started after the tall brunette and the slender redhead only to stop at the strange looks all three teenagers were now giving her. She smiled with pure impishness, "Boxes on the porch outside, my dears."

As one, the three girls looked at each other then giggling shot downstairs. The elder woman followed at a slightly slower pace, picking up the redhead's pale green gloves on the way past the living room. She arrived on the front door step in time to receive her own period cloak from Willow. "Forgot something, Willow?"

"My gloves, thanks Joyce," Willow grinned pulling them on. She turned to Amy who was just fastening the last button on her floor length hooded blue coat. "You have so got to let me borrow that, Amy."

"As long as I get to borrow that peacock set of yours."

"Done."

"We will be if we don't get going." Cordelia pilled up the hood of her mantle as Willow drew her own hood over her hair. The two blondes followed their example.

"Cordy?" Willow suddenly asked. "What's Oz going as?"

*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*

"I can not believe you man." Xander adjusted his sword belt yet again before looking over at Oz once more. "Don't you get enough of that round full moon?"

"I don't get to be me though." The werewolf brushed down a Bohemian lace collar over the red velvet Victorian smoking jacket he was wearing. He had also dyed his hair back to its original colour to fit in with the werewolf look he had chosen for the evening. "Get over it, Harris."

"Yes indeed, Xander." Giles agreed as he walked into the room. He was wearing an original 1920s gangster suit complete with black fedora. "That must be the third time this evening that I've heard you and I'm bored by it. I hate to think what Oz must be feeling."

"Alright, alright, I get the picture." Xander grinned, looking round the Watcher. "Hey Deadboy, when are we meeting the girls."

Just entering the room, the dark haired vampire threw a look at the clock on the wall as he fastened a cloak around his shoulders. "The car is supposed to be picking them up about now, so we have ten minutes to get to the club."

"You should have allowed for a longer time, Peaches, because he…" From his position by the door, Spike pointed at Xander, "Is going to be tripping over that bloody stupid sword the whole way there!"

"I will not." Xander objected only to do just what the younger vampire had predicted. "Damn!"

Angel barely hid his grin at the smirk on Spike's face at being proved right. "Just carry the thing, Xander. The girls will make you take it off before you dance with them anyway. There is no way they will let you ruin their costumes."

As Xander went to say something in response, Giles and Oz simultaneously slapped their hands over his mouth.

"Just do it, Xander." The Watcher ordered quietly. "For once in your life, just do as you're told."

With a muffled grumble, the teenager removed his sword belt and stormed out of Angel's apartment and with the barest of grins breaking his lips. Oz followed him catching him with ease. "You're an idiot, Xander. You should have known and not needed to be told.

"Alright Oz, I've got the point, there's no need to rub salt into the wound. Junior will do enough of it as it is." The younger man replied scowling over his shoulder at said blond vampire. "He won't be able to help himself."

"Spot on Xapper," That particularly snide remark earned Spike a smack round the head from his sire. "What the hell was that for?" He snarled at Angel.

"If you ruin this evening for Willow…" His sire growled letting the barest hint of fang show as his eyes flashed gold. The younger vampire backed down immediately understanding the unspoken threat in his voice.

The dark haired vampire turned to the Watcher. "So Giles, what do you think the girls are thinking at this moment."

"Can't you tell?" He asked curiously. "Through the link I mean."

"It's closed at the moment." Angel grinned. "Willow murmured something about fair play in preventing pre-emptive emotional spoilers before she set up the block."

"Always knew Red had it in her." Spike grinned. "She's getting you back for holding out on her, Peaches."

Angel grinned as well, remembering the redhead's very pleasurable attempts to find out about the ball. The Watcher merely shook his head. He had walked in on some of those attempts and had always ended up with a severe case of the blushes.

"That most definitely sounds like our Willow." The Watcher agreed, returning the smile. "I have to tell you, Angel, there are times when that young woman reminds me of someone I know but it always slips away just as I try to pinpoint it."

"Memories can be like that, Giles." The elder vampire replied. "It will come to you when you least expect it."

"So it would seem." He replied. "I also hadn't realised that you two had gained so much control over your link."

"It's getting stronger almost every day." Angel responded, his smile fading slightly. "Actually Giles, I think we may need to talk. It's not only the link, its Willow's magical abilities as well."

The older looking man frowned. "Are you sure? It may just be the link."

"Not from what I've been sensing." Angel looked up just in time to catch sight of the limousine bringing the girls to the club turning into the top of the road leading to it. "We really need to talk about this, Giles."

"In school on Monday then, it will give me a little time to look in some books I have at home." The Watcher replied as he caught sight of the car as well. "I take it that's the girls' car ahead of us."

The vampire actually checked the time on an old fashioned fob watch. "If Cordelia kept her promise, it should be."

"You made the cheerleader promise to be on time." Spike uttered in genuine shock. Even he was aware of her reputation of always being late for everything. "What did you do, threaten her?"

The dark haired vampire merely smiled and moved towards the car, just as the door opened. He held out his hand and a silk encased one emerged to take it. He then assisted Willow out of the car… into a stunned silence as the other four men caught their first sight of her.

Catching the dropped jaw of even Spike, Willow smiled shyly, a slight blush touching her cheeks.

"You look beautiful, Willow." Angel murmured his eyes wide as caught his first true sight of her. "I can't wait to see what the dress looks like if you look this good in the cloak."

The blush grew more pronounced and she lowered her head for a moment. Seconds later, she raised it and with an impish glint in her eyes suddenly replacing it, she curtsied. "My Lord is too kind."

Angel raised her hand to his lips for a second murmuring, "My Lady is worth every kind word," and then linking her hand in his arm, he led the way into the club.

*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*

_And we have the next chapter and with just a hint of the main story as well!_

_A litte disappointed though in the amount of reviews I am receiving! I've got used to 5 to double figures with my previous three stories!_

_As always though, looking forward to what you do have to say ;op_


	12. Chapter 12

See part one for disclaimer

*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*

Part Twelve

Several hours later, Joyce stood with Giles and Spike at the side of the Bronze, watching the five teenagers and dark haired vampire on the dance floor. An old fashioned waltz was playing in the background, and the three couples were twirling slowly around the dance floor.

"Willow looks so beautiful tonight." Joyce murmured. "I mean, they all look wonderful but there's something so much more where Willow is concerned. It's almost as if she is glowing."

"That's because she is." Spike crossed his arms, leaning back against a nearby pillar. "And what's the bloody deal with the green rock she's wearing. It's ruddy well lighting up."

"It did so earlier as well when she was casting a spell on Cordelia's hair." Joyce turned to Giles, a thoughtful look in her eyes. "Something is happening to her, Giles."

The Watcher sighed, folding his arms to tap a finger against his cheek. "It also confirms something Angel told me on our way here." He fastened his gaze on the redhead and her dark –haired companion as they swirled past them to the new music that was playing. Willow was giggling madly as she seemed to be giving Angel a running commentary on Xander's attempt to copy their movements with Cordelia… and failing. "But for the moment perhaps we should leave this for Monday, no matter how strange things are becoming."

"What's getting strange?" The girl in question asked as she and Angel came to a laughing stop beside them "Oh that was so much fun. Giles, Joyce, you just have to try it."

"And someone better rescue Xander before Cordy kills him." Joyce laughed, responding to the sheer delight that was lighting up Willow's whole elfin face. "A task I shall volunteer myself for… if you will help me Angel."

"I'd be delighted to Joyce." He kissed Willow briefly on the cheek, murmuring something that had her green eyes sparkle mischievously. With a swift at Spike, Angel then led the elder woman towards the two medieval costumed dancers, a smirk playing across his face as he looked at him. "Have fun, ionúin."

"Oh I think I will." She murmured as her eyes came to rest on the younger vampire, "Spike."

He immediately straightened, a look of pure alarm in his eyes that had the observant Watcher hiding a grin behind his hand. "What the hell are you up to, Red?"

"I need a partner Spike and I know you can dance." Willow's smile grew even more mischievous. "Angel's told me about that time in London after you were turned, you know, when you…"

Her reminiscent trip into the two vampires' mutual past was abruptly stopped as a slim hand covered her lips and she was pulled unceremoniously out onto the dance floor. The moment her lips were uncovered, she grinned back at the now openly laughing Watcher. "Catch you later, Giles."

"He never stood a chance, Angel." Giles informed the vampire as he arrived back with Cordelia. "And I really did expect him to put up more of a fight."

"Spike's just the latest one wrapped around her little finger, Giles." Cordelia sat down with a graceful slump. "And I am so going to kill Xander, my feet are killing me. Angel, where did you hide…? Ah-ha...There it is!"

"Oh no, you don't, Cordelia!" Giles grinned broadly as Angel literally snatched up the sword the brunette had just found. "If Spike can't spill blood, nor can you. Not even Harris's."

Relaxing back into her chair again, Cordelia actually mock-growled as she said "Blast!"

Casting a quick glance around the Bronze, her frown became a satisfied grin. "This place looks darn good even if I do say so myself. Normally I would hate to admit this but you were right about the drapes softening the lines, Angel."

Angel smiled slightly glad it was hidden by his turned back as he put the sword out of Cordelia's reach. Although she had clearly been joking, the vampire wouldn't put it past the cheerleader to use it for real if given the right opportunity. Turning round he found Giles watching Willow on the dance floor, a strange look on his face.

"It's really bothering you, isn't it Giles?" He moved to his side, his own gaze returning to the laughing redhead in front of them. "The fact she reminds you of something you can't remember."

"Yes it does." Giles straightened, eyes growing steely. "And that reminds me, did I hear you mention that her parents are returning to Sunnydale earlier."

"It's why she's staying at my place tonight." Cordelia took a sip of her drink. "The fact that they ordered her to be there again today really got her back up. You know, I've never seen or heard Will blow up at her parents before but boy, did that girl let rip earlier."

"Willow heard from the Rosenberg's today." Giles and Angel said simultaneously.

"They called as I arrived to collect Willow and Amy." The cheerleader replied, rising to her feet. "I'm going to see if Willow will change partners. Now she's got Spike out there, I'm not missing this opportunity to needle the bleached wonder. Plus it will annoy Amy."

"I heard that Chase." The blonde witch quipped as she and the werewolf arrived back at the table. "And you can dance with him as much as you want. I really don't care."

"Good, I'll be going then." With a smirk reminiscent of her old self, Cordelia moved out onto the dance floor just in time to join Spike and Willow as the music stopped. She drew the redhead aside, leaning down to whisper in her ear. What ever it was she said, it had Willow laughing in response and moving aside to relinquish her tall companion to the medieval princess.

"I'm going to get you back for this, Red." His clear threat followed her across the room as she rejoined the others. Her response had the others burst out in clear laughter and the rest of the Halloween guests looking at them in disbelief.

Placing her hand in Angel's, she turned to the bleached vampire and curtsied low to the ground. She then blew him a kiss before sticking her tongue out at him, "When you get yours, luv, only when you get yours."

Her accent was a perfect take-off of his.

*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*

Midnight grew close and apart from Oz, the entire Scooby Gang with additions were on the dance floor. Willow had her head on Angel's shoulder, hands holding his waistcoat lapels, (He had removed his coat hours before during a fast dance) and his arms were around her, holding her close as they swayed from side to side, his cheek on her head.

Off to one side, and clearly reconciled to the possibility of sore feet, Cordelia and Xander were dancing close together. They were also talking in low voices, Cordelia waving a hand slightly agitated as she pointed in the redhead's direction. What ever it was she saying it must have convinced him for he nodded sombrely and then pressed her head down to his shoulder.

Amy was doing everything but look at the vampire she was dancing with. There was a slight blush high on her cheeks though because Spike was murmuring in her ear, decidedly wicked glint lighting up his blue eyes. Something he said though had her snapping her eyes round to his, responding swiftly with a brief nod towards his sire and the redhead he cradled.

He drew away from her slightly, a clear question in his eyes. She nodded briefly and then pointed over to where the other two teenagers were. Xander's concerned gaze was fastened on his best friend as he ran his hand reassuringly down his girlfriend's back.

"What about Peaches?" He nodded towards the elder vampire.

"I'm sure their link is back open again." She replied as he drew her back again. "Look at them, Spike. The lips may not be moving but they're talking."

Spike turned his gaze back to the couple in the centre of the floor. The petite redhead was now looking deep into the dark haired vampire's eyes, a small hand resting on his cheek as if she was answering a question only she had heard. What ever it was she said was replied with by a sigh that went through his entire frame, and he lowered his head to hers, kissing her deeply.

As he drew away, a gentle smile crossed her lips and she ran her fingers over where his demon brow ridges were normally found. "It will be alright, Angel." Her soft statement was audible only to the other vampire. "What ever is coming, we'll deal with it together the way we always do."

"I just don't want to lose you sweetheart." He replied, playing with a loose curl by her ear.

"I don't think you could, Peaches." Spike had managed to manoeuvre him self and Amy through the other dancers to join them. "You two are stuck to each other like glue."

"Definitely a romantic aren't you Junior." Xander quipped as he and Cordelia joined the small group in the middle of the floor. "And the kissing is not supposed to start until midnight, you two."

"New Year's Eve is not for another two months, you dweeb!" Cordelia hit him round the head, much to the sheer amusement of their watching friends. "It's Halloween remember, Willow and Amy's night of nights."

"Should we be complimented or worried?" Amy asked as she leant across to her fellow witch. "And would someone please tell me why that girl over there has been watching us all evening because she is so looking confused just about now."

"What girl?" Giles asked.

"The brunette just over there," The blonde witch pointed over to where a brunette in scruffy black jeans and jacket was still watching them, only to find herself being unceremoniously pulled back by Spike. The act was accompanied by a low growl and was followed by a firm fist to his arm as Amy physically objected in return. "Spike that hurt! What's the matter with you?"

"Slayer!" He growled holding her behind his back.

She immediately hit him again. "Hello! Human, nothing to fear here."

Swallowing a grin at their actions, Angel turned to the Watcher. "Giles, I thought you said the New Year." He tightened his arm around Willow's waist as she started towards the brunette. "Oh no you don't, álainn." He told her silently, and earning himself a poke in the side.

"So the Council informed me." Giles shocked them by merely raising an eyebrow. "But considering recent history of at least two previous slayers, I wouldn't be at all surprised if that was Faith. She does appear to match the description I have of her."

"So are we going to keep staring at her or are we going to say hello!" Willow murmured as she leant against Angel's chest, his arm still around her waist. "Because if Angel and Spike know she is the slayer, she definitely knows that they're vampires."

"I volunteer Willow." Xander said swiftly, continuing quickly to head off the objection he could see coming from Angel. "She's the most diplomatic one of us."

"Now why did I know that you were going to say that?" Oz murmured as he moved in beside Amy. "And for your information, she's not the only one who's been watching us or should I say Willow all evening."

They all spun round to look at the werewolf who raised an eyebrow in response but did not miss the fact that neither vampire took their watchful gaze from the slayer completely.

"Oz…" Joyce asked as she drew closer, unable to resist looking around the club herself. A tall blond disappearing behind a pillar caught her attention and she nodded in his direction. "I take it you mean tall and blond over there."

Cordelia looked over Xander's shoulder and grimaced. "Hey Will, Troy's here."

"I thought he was avoiding you. " Angel asked as with a groan, Willow hid her face against his arm. He ran his hand down her arm, soothing her externally and through their bond. "As much as this is going to pain me but considering the circumstances, I have to admit that Xander is right."

"I am!" Xander almost yelped. "Hey, I'm right."

Before he could even begin to gloat properly, both Willow and Cordelia immediately stomped on his feet and then turned innocent faces to the older vampire. "You were saying, Angel…" Cordelia asked, "Because I've lost the picture somehow."

"And Angel is right on both points." Giles laid his hand on Willow's shoulder. "Willow and I will go talk to Faith. Perhaps you and Spike, Angel should request Mr Warner's presence in a quiet conversation."

"We'll just, you know, go over to our corner." Xander inserted swiftly. "I kind of think out of the limelight is needed here."

"I'm kind of thinking shock mode here." Amy whispered to the werewolf as they headed for their different destinations. "That's twice now in the space of ten minutes."

"Just don't fall I think Spike is a little distracted." Oz responded an unusual glint lighting up his face as the blonde witch blushed furiously.

"Who is this Troy Warner?" Joyce asked as they reached their seats. "And why did Angel look so furious?"

The four teenagers immediately began to inform the older woman of the situation concerning Troy, Willow and Angel. When they finished the slayer's mother looked absolutely shocked. "Dear lord, Willow must have been terrified!"

"Not while she knew Angel was close." Cordelia rearranged her skirts. "And talking of tall dark and handsome, our resident vampires have managed to corral Sunnydale High's most latest and persistently irritating newcomer."

"Anyone would think you didn't like him, pet." Spike unceremoniously shoved the senior onto the floor at her feet, and then kicked him for fun. "Now move over pet, I want to rest my feet." He promptly picked up Amy and then settled her down on the arm before taking her place.

The witch immediately hit him around the back of his head. "Ask first, you idiot." And then hit him again as he rested his feet on the prone senior's back. "Spike, don't do that."

"Leave it off, pet; I'm not a punch bag." He growled at her before glaring at the boy on the floor as he moved slightly. "And you… don't move another inch."

Rolling his eyes at their antics, Angel moved to his usual seat after looking over to where Willow and Giles were talking to the brunette. Something she said over their link obviously amused him for a faint smile played about his lips. "Willow likes the new slayer."

"That's of the good... it is of the good isn't it?" Xander responded, "Deadboy, stop smirking like that. It's darn scary."

"It's Halloween Xander, what else do you expect." Angel responded, his eyes still on his redheaded girlfriend. "They're coming over, so best behaviour from everyone."

"Somehow I just don't think that's a possibility." Amy murmured with a sly glance down at Spike. "Not with the bleached wonder here."

"Sorry to disappoint you, pet but my promise to not ruin Red's evening still stands." He grinned as she groaned in mock-disappointment.

*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*

"So let me get this straight…" Faith looked over the redhead's shoulder at the group in the corner, a slightly puzzled look in her dark brown eyes before returning to the pair standing in front of her. "You're the Watcher around here and you're the Witch."

"Two out of two," Willow murmured as she shared a smile with Giles.

"And with the two fangs over there, you're pretty much saying that the rule books out of the window. Hellmouth and all that."

"Indeed." Giles agreed. "Very concisely put."

"Cool!" The brunette grinned. "Now that's what I call five by five. This gig isn't as bad as I thought it was going to be."

The redhead broke out into delighted giggles. "Then welcome to Sunnydale, Faith. I'm sure we can find you the odd apocalypse or two for you to help stop sooner or later."

"Oh very funny Willow," Giles groaned before turning a slightly more serious look to the newest member of the Scooby Gang. "And you can tell us why you're here much earlier than expected, Faith and without your Watcher when you're quite ready." He finished as he caught the look of objection beginning to appear in the Slayer's eyes. "I did say when you were ready, my girl, but I should tell you that the earlier you tell me, the more prepared we'll be to face what ever it is you are quite obviously hiding."

"Giles stop it. Are you trying to scare her?" Willow hit the Watcher gently in the chest before linking her arm in Faith's. "Come and be officially introduced instead, Faith."

As the two girls walked in front of him, Giles found himself grinning broadly. The slayer was quizzing the redhead on the vampire she had been dancing with just ten minutes ago. "So tell me, Red, tall dark and sexy, is he as good as he looks?"

Willow promptly blushed, fingers going straight to her pendant, "Faith!"

Faith grinned. "Alright Red, I'll get the brief some other time." She looked over to the corner they were heading for, amused puzzlement in her dark eyes. "One thing though, why the hell is Blondie using Mr Built as a footstool?"

"He's what?" Giles and Willow exclaimed simultaneously. "Spike!"

"What! I'm only getting ruddy comfortable, pet." He shot back with a trademark grin.

The redhead shook her head and then hit his as she went past him to join the vampire on the sofa. "You mean irritating Junior." She threw back at him as she sat down next to Angel, settling back into his encircling arm. "Have you got anything out of him by the way?"

"Not a word, álainn." Angel replied eyes flashing gold slightly as he looked down at the young man who was watching them all warily. "He seems to have forgotten how to talk."

"Not really surprising when you consider whose feet are on his back." Amy murmured to no-one in particular. "The smell's most probably overwhelming him."

The whole gang burst into laughter as Spike merely growled at the blonde witch, "Funny… not pet."

Amy merely looked down at him unrepentant. "I've obviously been hanging around with you for far too long." She hit him much like Willow had and then turned to the watching slayer, smiling slightly. "Welcome to Sunnyhell, Faith, I hope you enjoy yourself."

"She's definitely been hanging round Deadboy Junior way too long." Xander said in a stage whisper to Oz who grinned broadly back. "Isn't that what he calls it?"

"You've noticed that too." He replied as all the teenagers present except for the young Warner and to a certain extent, Amy grinned broadly. Joyce and Giles appeared to share a look familiar to all adults who have children while the dark haired vampire hid his grin in Willow's red hair.

"Alright people, settle down." Giles coughed eventually for Amy was blushing violently. "And Spike move your feet. As much as I know we wanted to settle this business with Mr Warner, his presence is now quite unwarranted. It also goes against the original premise for the evening."

Even muffled against her hair, Willow could hear Angel growl angrily. "Not to me. Not if it gets him away from Willow." The arm around her waist tightened slightly as he drew her closer. Turning so she could see his face, she was unsurprised to see his demon mask in place.

Raising her hand, she gently brushed away his demonic ridges. "Let it go, Angel. I promise it hasn't ruined tonight." Turning back round, she settled back further into his embrace and cast her gaze over the troublesome young man. "Besides I am sure we can always catch him some other time."

"You heard her, Spike. Let the brat go." The dark haired vampire literally growled his command to the younger vampire, enforcing the Watcher's request. "But hear me, Warner, I find you anywhere near Willow or anyone else here, the next time might not go so easy for you. Inform your bosses of that as well."

"I can almost guarantee it." Spike growled as he finally moved his feet, pushing the kid on his back. "Now beat it kid and be very happy Red has a tight hold on Peaches."

Still with out saying a single thing the senior literally crawled away on hands and knees before getting to his feet. As he literally sprinted away (as much as anyone can through dancing teenagers in Halloween costumes), Joyce turned to the quite fascinated slayer, an amused smile playing over her lips. "So tell me, Faith, how are you enjoying life in Sunnydale so far?"

Before she replied, the Slayer looked round the small group before her and then returned it to the older woman once more. "So far, pretty good and if tonight is anything to go by, things are going to be five by five."

"That's good, it is good, right?" Xander responded as the others started laughing.

Willow took pity on him though. "Yes Xan, it's good."

*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*

_Another week, another chapter! Amazing how time flies!_

_As always looking forward to seeing what you have to say ;op_


	13. Chapter 13

See Part One for the disclaimer

*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*

Part Thirteen

Standing outside the Bronze in the cool night air, Angel fastened Willow's cloak coat around her. After drawing the hood over her hair, he ran his fingers over her cheek and then pulled her into his arms. With a tired sigh, she willingly went, wrapping her arms around his waist. Resting her head on his shoulder for a moment, she closed her eyes and fully released the control she had held on their link.

In a space of a few seconds, Angel realised just how much his petite redhead was truly dreading the arrival of her long absent parents and their mysterious guest. Making an abrupt decision, he raised his head and turned to their friends… to find them all watching the couple with various degrees of worry on their faces.

"Is something wrong, Angel?" Giles asked having caught the look in the ensouled vampire's darkened gaze. "Can we help in any way?"

"More than you know." The vampire replied as even Willow raised her head from his shoulder, the steely note in his voice having startled her as well. "Cordy, you did say Willow and Amy were staying with you tonight didn't you."

The cheerleader merely nodded once in reply.

"What the hell are you planning now, Peaches?" Spike growled as he threw the cigarette he had just lit upon the ground. There was something in the elder vampire's stance at that particular moment that had brought all his senses on full alert, and with a flash of sudden inspiration aided by the sire-childe link, he realised just what it was. His sire had just decided how he was going to deal with the most immediate threat to his little redhead.

"Yes Deadboy, what are you planning?" Xander moved forward to stand next to his best friend, his brunette girlfriend close behind him. "And is it going to help Wills?"

"Without a doubt," The vampire replied as he felt the wave of curiosity replacing the dread that had been coming from Willow. "We're going to move this so important meeting of theirs to a time and place Willow is in control of."

"What do you really mean, Fang?" Even Faith had caught on to the underlying tension that was now surrounding the small group she felt herself slowly becoming a part of – even after only a couple of hours in their company.

"It's time the Rosenberg's met their daughter's real family."

"Why do I get the feeling that it will be us holding the shotguns here though?" Oz murmured, half-smile lighting up his eyes. "That sure felt like a declaration of war to me."

"Oh that's good, because it sounded like that to me as well." Willow suddenly spoke as she turned sharpened green eyes on all her friends before looking up at the vampire who was now looking down at her with a slightly wary stance. "I take it I can decide where this momentous occasion is going to happen or do you have a suggestion for that as well."

"Did everyone else feel that cold wind just then?" Amy murmured to no-one in particular as she faked a shiver from the supposed breeze.

"Ionúin…" With a slightly desperate look to the Watcher, Angel looked down into his fiery girlfriend's flashing green eyes. "I was just…"

"I know." Grinning suddenly she raised herself on tiptoes and kissed his cheek. "And thank you, Angel. I hadn't even considered that angle myself."

"Then you wouldn't be offended if I suggested the library." Giles remarked off-hand as the limousine that had brought the girls to the Bronze arrived.

"You know, in some respects the fact you even suggest the Library as home ground is kind of sad." Willow responded as they entered the car. Once they were all settled, the redhead on Angel's lap to make room, she looked over to her best friend. "Hey Xan, want to play messenger boy for me."

"That's so not fair Wills." He groaned before it was cut off by an elbow in the ribs from Cordelia. "All right, alright, I'll do it but I am so going to haunt you Willow if they kill me."

His only reward was a slap round the back of his head from both the redhead and his girlfriend.

As the talk fell into more general things, Joyce leant over to Giles and spoke softly into his ear. "Is it me or are they taking this way too calmly. Especially Willow, considering it is her parents that they have been discussing."

"Believe me, Joyce, they're not." The Watcher indicated towards the redhead slightly. "Look at Willow. The only thing keeping her sane at the moment is the vampire holding her. It's what they've both been doing for each other since she brought him back and the bond was established."

His eyes opened wide suddenly as he caught sight of something. "Dear god, it does bloody light up!"

His comment just managed to fall into a moment of rare genuine silence for his charges and therefore made more of an impact.

"What lights up?" Willow's genuinely puzzled comment clashed with Spike's and Joyce's "We all ready told you it did." Spike's statement did contain a bloody but it was kind of obscured by the yelping sound he made as Angel kicked him hard.

Amy however once again chose to answer her bewildered friend's question. "The pendant Angel gave you, Willow. It keeps lighting up when your emotions are positive, oh and it did when you cast that spell on Cordelia earlier."

Willow looked to Joyce for confirmation and the elder woman nodded slightly. She then turned her eyes to the dark haired vampire, fingers going to the pendant as she did so. "Angel."

"It's alright, Willow, I promise." He immediately covered her fingers with his own. "Whistler said there was a possibility it would do so if you were who he thought you were." As she went to speak, he raised his fingers to her lips. "He didn't tell me why, little one, just that it would be explained in time."

"No wonder you were so cryptic when we first met. If he's as cryptic as this with you, you couldn't tell us anything, you didn't really know anything yourself." Giles growled slightly, making them jump. The couple had got lost in each other's eyes almost forgetting the others had been present.

"I'm not sure if I should be insulted by that." Angel murmured as with a smile, Willow lowered her head to his shoulder while the others laughed.

Spike smirked. "You know, I knew I liked you for a reason, Watcher."

"I'm definitely insulted." Giles murmured, lifting the cap on the laughter that was brewing in the car as everyone went into hysterics.

*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*

Willow walked into the library, arms wrapped around her waist, her eyes lowered to the ground. Looking up from the book he had been reading, Giles rose to his feet. "Willow, my dear child, what ever is wrong?"

"Giles…" She looked up, fingers playing with the pendant she was still wearing. "Is this… I mean… Giles, I think I'm scared."

As he had once before, he opened his arms to her and she shot straight into his embrace, seeking reassurance. Much like he had done that time, he wrapped his arms around her slender frame, running a hand down her back as he cradled her against his heart. "I promised you, Willow, I won't let anyone hurt you."

Neither knew how long they stood there, the man murmuring a father's nonsensical reassurance to the precious daughter of his heart, and the daughter seeking those words from the man she considered her father.

They only separated at the familiar sounds of the rest of their group arguing as they approached, both unaware they had been watched by the two vampires of their group. The elder one smiled slightly as he watched the Watcher press a kiss to the girl's forehead in a father's benediction and murmur. "It will be alright, Willow."

"And the Watcher knows a good thing when he sees it, Red." Spike started down the steps, swiftly followed and passed by his Sire as he went to her. "Painful as this is to say, so does Peaches."

"Are you sure you're not coming down with something, Spike." Willow threw back at him as she leant back against Angel. She drew his arms around her almost as if she was using him to ward off the world. "Because I have to say, you're so acting out of character."

"Spike has a character!" Amy exclaimed entering just in time to hear Willow's last statement. "When did this miracle happen?"

"Bite me pet!" He snapped at her, rising to the bait once again.

"Hallo! Human remember. No biting going on here." She neatly fielded back.

"However much she's thought of it." The werewolf suddenly added, grinning at the response he received as both Willow and Amy exclaimed his name in shock. The latter was blushing furiously while the former was doing her best to not laugh out loud at the expression on her fellow witch's face.

Growing serious suddenly, he turned back to the redhead. "Will, we saw your parents arriving. Xander's waiting to show them the way."

"Dear Goddess! That just says everything doesn't it." Willow turned in Angel's arms, burying her face in his sweater for a moment. "They have to be shown the way here."

"Be strong for a little bit longer, álainna." He raised her head, cupping her cheeks as he lowered his to kiss her. As the kiss continued, her hands slipped round his neck as he cradled her against him.

Around them, the other members of the Scooby Gang moved away. With out even realising she was doing it, Amy moved to stand near Spike, both crossing their arms as they unconsciously took up guard positions over the couple. Even Cordelia and Oz had taken up guard positions at the two entrances to the library while the newest member tossed a stake up and down as she sat on top of the book-in counter.

Giles had drawn Joyce away to the window and the two adult members of the group stood talking quietly. The Watcher however was betraying his nervousness by playing with his glasses which he had removed on Spike's noisy entrance.

"Sire," The younger vampire's one word of warning was all it needed to alert them all that the confrontation was upon them. Spike took hold of Amy's arm as he drew her over to the library steps where Cordelia and Oz were quick to join them. Faith took it as her cue to depart for the first patrol of the evening and shot out of the back entrance of the library.

With a final kiss, Angel and Willow drew apart only slightly. She rested her hand against his cheek for a moment before lowering it to clasp his tightly. They moved together to lean against the library table, touching from shoulder to hip, hand in hand. Giles and Joyce joined them, taking seats at the table just as they heard Xander arrive outside the library.

From the stairs, Amy's voice was clear in the sudden silence. "And the director said 'Action!'"

It was enough to break the slight tension that has been escalating since Spike had spoken as they broke into laughter. It was also enough to have the dark haired vampire and his red haired witch relax into a position more familiar to them all.

Willow leant against his side as his arm tucked around her waist, her head resting on his shoulder for a moment. She then looked round him to the blonde witch, eyes sparkling impishly. "Are you sure you're not trying to take Xander's class clown crown from him, Amy?"

Narrowing her eyes, Amy satisfied herself with sticking out her tongue in reply to the redhead's comment but then a few seconds later spoke. "I am so going to get you back for that, Rosenberg."

"You mean you're going to try." Willow's easy response was the last relaxed comment before a familiar voice could be heard through the doors.

"Are you quite sure that you want to remain out here, miss." Xander's voice was clear and for him, coldly formal. "Well, if that's what you want. Mr Rosenberg, Mrs Rosenberg, Willow is waiting for us in here."

A moment later, the doors opened and he entered the library. Catching his best friend's eye, he grimaced then stood aside to allow her parents to enter. "Willow, your parents are here."

"Good god, the boy does know his manners! I may never recover." The Watcher murmured in mock shock and audible only to the three nearest him. Shaking slightly with suppressed laughter, the petite redhead buried to her face in Angel's side as she tried to hide it. "Willow dear child, prove to me that he got them from you."

He did not need to see it to know that the redhead scowled but before she could speak, Sheila Rosenberg's stringent voice echoed through out the library, making the two vampires shudder at the high pitch. "Willow Anne Rosenberg, what are you playing at? You have not been brought up to behave like that. Move away from that man immediately!"

"I'm living my own life just like normal actually, mother." Willow responded deliberately leaning back against Angel's side. "Oh by the way, this is Angel, the man I'm in love with. That's if you're actually interested in any part of my life for a change."

"Don't dare you speak to your mother like that, young lady." Ira Rosenberg moved forward to join his wife. "And how dare you ask us to meet you here instead of at home as you were told to be on our return."

"You gave up the right to order me around a long time ago, father." She fired back at him, eyes flashing furiously. Only the vampire's hand at her waist prevented an even bigger explosion as he tightened his hold, using their link to calm her down. An act she acknowledged by covering his hand with hers.

"You are still our daughter, and you will treat us with the respect we deserve, Willow."

When she spoke again, it was in a calmer tone and more like their Willow. "I thought you would be intelligent enough to realise that you've locked that door too, father. Did you really believe that I unaware of the fact that you've thought of me as an inconvenience from the day I was born?"

"Ah yes well, it's that particular event we wish to speak to you about." Sheila Rosenberg directed an extremely scornful look at the others. "Is there somewhere we can go that's a little more private? Away from all these unnecessary… people?" As she said the last word, she managed to load it with so much contempt, it was almost visible.

"What ever you have to say, mother, can be said here in front of my real family." Willow answered her own voice once more calm and controlled. "I'd rather not have to go through it all again."

"If that is your choice, so be it." The Rosenberg's shared a speaking look before Ira turned back to her. "We actually meant to tell you this on your eighteenth birthday but it would seem that events and circumstances beyond our control mean we must tell you now."

"Then would you please tell her already." To their stunned shock the exclamation came from Giles. He rose to his feet and indicated to the seats opposite himself and Joyce. "Please sit here? Willow, Angel over here."

"Really this is quite ridiculous!" The elder Rosenberg woman glared at the Watcher as she followed her husband to the other side of the table. The Englishman remained totally unperturbed, merely raising an eyebrow in reply as he pulled out a chair for the redhead.

"I believe the floor is yours Mr and Mrs Rosenberg." He said calmly. "We're listening."

*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*

"Eighteen years ago, we discovered that Sheila was expecting our first, and as it turned out, our only child." Ira Rosenberg took his wife's hand and fastened his gaze on the redhead opposite him, frowning as he watched her lean against the tall dark dangerous looking man with such transparent ease. "As it was, she barely survived the pregnancy."

"That's not the story you've always told everyone." Xander couldn't help himself as he spoke up, voice startled. "I overheard you talking to my mother once about having one of the easiest pregnancies on record."

He had quietly been moving towards the group on the stairs when the older man had made his startling statement, and now stood behind the couple.

"Please Xander." Willow turned to look up at her best friend, reaching up to touch his arm. "I know you mean well, but please just go to the others. I'd really prefer to get this over and done with sooner rather than later. You can understand that, can't you?"

He moved slightly as if to reply negatively but the look in her green eyes made him change his mind. Sighing deeply, he covered her hand for a moment. "All right Wills, but only because you asked."

He bent down and kissed her cheek before moving over to the others as he had originally planned.

After watching him for a moment, Willow turned back round sharing a speaking look with Angel as she did so. "Go on father, if you would."

Before he could respond however, his wife spoke up.

"That boy has never had any manners." Sheila glared frostily at the young man and Xander barely restrained him self from sticking out his tongue at her in response. "And I really must insist that he does not need to be here at all."

"He stays." For the first time since the Rosenberg's arrival, Angel spoke, eyes blazing with barely restrained anger. He leant forward, gaze focused on them both and the slightest hint of the vampire within showing. "Let me make this quite clear, you are here at Willow's behest and you will respect everyone present at all times."

A small hand came to rest on his chest, pushing him back into his seat and then Willow leant back against him as she pulled his arm around her waist. "Angel."

It was enough to silence him (and have Spike murmur in an undertone, "Whipped!" and for which he was rewarded with thumps in the chest from both Amy and Cordelia.)

"As I said before, please continue father. I'm sure you want this over and done with as much I do." Willow once more took control, making herself even more comfortable against Angel. "After all, I'm quite sure that you have an important dentistry conference to attend."

"Meow!" Amy murmured, making the others giggle.

"That's if the peanut gallery has also quite finished." The redhead leaned around Angel for a moment to smile menacingly at her friends. All of them nodded except for Spike who merely smirked at her and had her rolling her eyes. "That does actually mean you as well, Junior."

She turned back round and settled back into Angel's embrace, waving her hand almost regally at her parents. "So once again, father, you were saying…"

"Yes quite." He visibly shook himself, astonishment at his daughter's actions quite clear in his uneasy body language. "As I was saying, the pregnancy was not an easy one for my wife or for the child she was carrying. On at least three occasions, it was thought to have died but somehow the child seemed to fight back, almost desperately."

"Eight months into the pregnancy, it became very clear that if it was continued, I would be at risk of losing both my wife and child. We had only just recently arrived here in Sunnydale to begin our new practice and the loss of my wife would have severely affected it."

This particular statement brought a rustle of movement from the stairs and a muted growl from both vampires. Giles immediately reached out and took one of Willow's hands in his own as Angel tightened his hold around her shoulders.

Seemingly oblivious to the actions caused by his announcement, Ira Rosenberg continued to speak. "With this fact in mind, and the doctor's orders, we agreed that early admittance to hospital was required so that a caesarean could be carried out."

"This is where the story starts to become more relevant to you, young woman." Sheila broke in with a somewhat bitter note to her voice. "In the room to which I was admitted, there was a young woman of European extraction. I never could work out where exactly she came from, and unlike myself, she was clearly full term."

"As it happened, we both gave birth that day and astonishingly enough almost at the same time." This time the bitter note in her voice was quite clear. "Co-incidence continued. Both children were girls and roughly the same weight, with similar colouring. Her child however was in perfect health and seemed to thrive in the world. My child seemed to see her entrance to the world as her final cue to exit it."

"Four days after she was born, she died quietly in the night. The doctors said that her little heart had quite simply given up the fight."

The Rosenberg's shared a look of remembered pain but to the listening Scooby Gang a horrifying realisation began to slowly reveal itself.

The petite redhead shrank back against the vampire holding her, trembling slightly and Giles tightened his hold on her hand. Behind them, the others shot concerned looks at each other, even Spike giving up his act of not really caring.

"The plan to swap our deceased child for the living one actually came from her mother. We were reluctant at first to listen to her, extremely reluctant to tell the truth. The death of our own child had truly been a shock especially after the way she had fought to survive, but somehow she persuaded us to listen." Ira sighed deeply, even closing his eyes. "I supposed it helped that the child was so like my own."

"She played on the fact that you are Jewish, Ira and you fell for it." His wife snapped at him, folding her arms. "She said she had fled England in fear of her life and for the life of her unborn child at the time. If she returned to her own country, or so she said, she feared her child would never see her first birthday. That's when she played her ace and suggested that we should swap our dead child for her live child."

"She would take our dead child and pass it off as her own while we would raise her living daughter here in the safety of Sunnydale." Sheila frowned. "There was some mumbo-jumbo about something here in town that would shield the child but I never took any notice of it."

"Yet you obviously agreed to the exchange…" There was a strange note in Giles's voice that had Angel look at him swiftly. "You quite obviously chose to take Willow and allowed this woman to take your deceased child back to England."

"Yes, but only for a specified period of time, a clause that she also requested." Ira nodded. "So for eighteen years, we agreed to treat Willow as our own child and bring her up as such."

"That's if ignoring Red can be called bringing her up." Spike growled as he moved away from the teenagers to stand behind his sire and his now trembling redhead, resting his hand on the back of her chair. "I'd bloody hate to think what you would have done to your real brat."

"This woman you swapped your child with eighteen years ago…" Giles released Willow's hand and rose to his feet, an extremely peculiar look on his face. He moved to stand looking into his office window. "What actually was your agreement with her?"

"We were to raise Willow as our own child and ensure that she remained close to Sunnydale the entire time. In fact she actually suggested that Los Angeles be the furthest distance she was ever to be allowed to travel. On her eighteenth birthday we were to inform Willow of the truth regarding her birth, and then her real mother would come to meet her before taking her back to her real family."

Ira Rosenberg rose to his feet, drawing his wife with him. "Of course when we met her real mother back in… August, I think it was, we did inform her that it was very unlikely Willow would go with her. You've developed quite a stubborn streak, Willow."

"You have so got that right, on both counts." Willow's voice actually trembled, green eyes shooting almost to the library entrance. "I take it then that the woman you brought with you tonight is my birth mother."

Her adopted father nodded.

"Why is she here now, I'm not eighteen until next year. What does she want?"

"How are we supposed to know, Willow? You're the certified genius. Why don't you work it out?"

"Sheila! Don't be so childish1" Ira snapped a look at his wife. "This isn't the place."

"May be so but that's not going to stop me. Do you even know just how relieved I am to know the cuckoo in the nest is finally going to be thrown out, Ira?" Sheila Rosenberg snapped back at her husband before turning back to look at the girl she had called daughter. "Dear God, Willow, even that ridiculous name of yours came from her. I mean, as if I would have named my child after a tree!"

"The woman insisted that you were to be called the name your real father wanted. Especially as he was to be told you were dead."

A strangled sound of fury came from the Watcher's direction, causing everyone to turn and look at him. He had a clenched fist resting on top of the booking counter, head bowed and his whole frame was shaking with what they couldn't tell. The library had fallen into silence at the strange sound that had come from him so that when he spoke, his ice cold voice shattered the silence literally.

"Your presence is no longer required, Mr Rosenberg, Mrs Rosenberg. You may leave now. In fact, I would suggest that you get out of here before I tell you exactly what I think of you. Please ask your guest to join us as you do so."

As they started to walk away, accompanied by Xander's "Do let the door hit you on the way out," they were stopped suddenly by Joyce Summers' concerned voice. "Wait just one moment please. Willow, dear, is there anything you would like to say to your foster parents before they absent themselves from your life forever."

"No." Willow pulled herself away from Angel slightly. "I want them gone almost as much as she wants them to go." She turned away, hiding her face in the vampire's jumper, shaking silently. Only he heard her silent farewell and through their bond, he sensed the overwhelming flood of grief that shot through her small frame.

He immediately pulled her out of her seat and into his lap, wrapping his arms around her. Burying his face in her hair, he murmured in a soft tone as he comforted her. The movement spurred the other teenagers into action as they rushed to comfort the heart and soul of their group.

Spike, being already in place behind his sire, absently hooked his arm around Amy's waist. It was then for the first time in almost a century, he laid the genuine supporting hand of a childe on his sire's shoulder. Gripping Angel's shoulder for a brief moment, he then ruffled the redhead's hair with gentle fingers.

"It'll be alright, pet. You don't need them." He said softly, casting aside his cynicism.

Before anyone else could say anything either to the clearly mourning redhead or the strangely acting Watcher, the doors creaked open. A short-haired redhead dressed totally in black swiftly entered the library. She looked warily around the semi-lit area, casting a reconnaissance look over the area with a sweep of familiar looking green eyes.

"She definitely looks like you a little bit, Will." Xander murmured to his best friend and then continued loyally. "But she doesn't look as nice as you."

"Nor as good as you, that's for sure." Cordelia touched her friend's shoulder, managing to elbow Spike in the process. "You've definitely got different styles and you've got more of it, Wills." The remark was pure Cordelia but somehow managed to be just as comforting as her boyfriend's comment before her.

Before either Amy or Oz could take their chance to say something to try and boost the redhead's sorely afflicted self-confidence, the stranger came to a halt facing them and spoke in a prettily accented English voice. "Good evening, I'm told that I can find Willow Rosenberg here."

"And you would be…" Joyce rose to stand in front of the teenagers and the vampires.

The response to her question though did not come from the redhead in front of them.

"Her name is Anastasia Esterhazy and it would appear she's Willow's true mother." Giles swung round eyes blazing furiously. "And that said it would make me her father. Welcome to the Hellmouth, Anna, but now get the ruddy hell out of here."

"Ripper! I did not…" Anastasia, pale as a ghost, took a step backwards. "This is where they sent you, to the Hellmouth. I was not told this before I left. I should have been told this."

"Yes, it seems to be going around." He snapped back. "Lying about our daughter's death somehow trumps that card, Anna."

Before either of them could say anything more, Spike spoke up in a disbelieving tone. "Bloody hell, Red's old man is the ruddy Watcher?"

*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*

_Well, I suppose you would call that the mid season cliffhanger!_

_Now I really am looking forward to seeing what you have to say ;op_


	14. Chapter 14

See Part One

*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*

Part Fourteen

A stunned silence followed Spike's astute summarization of the situation followed by the sound of two slaps as both Amy and Cordelia hit the back of his head.

"Idiot!"

"Moron!"

The shock however over-loaded Willow's already heavily burdened emotional system and she simply fainted dead away in Angel's arms, face as pale as the vampires. With one smooth movement, he was on his feet; the petite girl cradled in his arms and easing his way through the concerned teenagers as he carried her into the privacy of the library office.

Giles automatically started to follow them but found his arm caught as he was abruptly pulled to a halt by an unexpectedly strong hold. Turning, he found (and much to his astonishment) Xander holding him back.

"Xander," He asked the note in his voice slightly curiously.

"Leave her with Angel, Giles. He's the only one who can help her at the moment." He said with a remarkably mature look in his eyes.

"Besides, I really don't think that Wills is in any state to see anyone just at the moment, and after what the bleached wonder just blurted…" Xander glared at Spike for a brief moment before he continued. "I really think you should let her come to you and Giles..." He paused again, looking into the office. "She will come, you know."

Before the Watcher could reply, they both felt a rush of movement as Spike shot past them and immediately turned to watch him.

He grabbed hold of the woman who had just been declared to be Willow's mother and shook her slightly. "And where the hell do you think you're going love? We haven't finished with you yet, don't you want to speak to Red after all. I mean, you've come all the way from merry old England an' all that just to bloody well do that, haven't you?"

"What business is it of yours? You have no right being here, vampire!" Anastasia stepped away from him and into Oz only to step away from him as well as her eyes opened wide, "And a werewolf as well! What is going on here? I do not understand!"

"What did you expect, Anastasia?" Giles spun round to look at her, eyes blazing furiously as he removed his glasses. In his anger, he seemed to grow even taller and more… lordly, for a lack of a better word, "Ruddy fairies and leprechauns! Like I said, welcome to the Hellmouth. After all it was the reason why you decided to 'hide' our child in Sunnydale."

"But I did not expect her to be associated with such creatures nor would I expect to find you, a Watcher, in the company of such… such things." She replied. "What have you done, Rupert? Why have you gone against the traditions of the Council?"

"Do not even think to be the slightest bit judgemental, Anna. You neither have the right nor the knowledge of what goes on out here in the real world." He countered straight back at her, glancing for a moment in to the office. "And you of all people especially have no right, not after what you have subjected Willow to all this time."

"Everything I did was in her best interest, Rupert, I assure you. It always has been. I knew that she would remain anonymous to our way of life here." Anastasia stepped towards the irate Watcher, holding her hand out to him; only to have him turn his back on her as he fixed his attention on the office.

She sighed almost irritably. "Rupert, you know her life was in danger in England even before she was born. That's why we agreed that I would leave in the first place"

He spun round for a moment, eyes blazing furiously. "I never agreed to you leaving her in America and I sure as hell had no idea you were going to take her from me the way you did."

"Yes, I know and that is why I chose to mislead you. For an Englishman, you were always far too emotional where the child was concerned, even before she was born." She replied, almost un-naturally calmly. "The moment I arrived here, I knew immediately that she would remain ordinary, even unseen, and most definitely unaware of all we were involved in. That was why I chose the Rosenberg's. I knew there was no chance of her ever to coming to know about magic."

"You chose the Rosenberg's because you thought there was no chance that she would ever get to know magic!" Joyce repeated incredulously as she looked at the woman who had brought Willow into the world. "That was your only consideration for who was to be parents to your daughter! What kind of woman are you! Didn't you do any research into them at all?"

"They mourned the passing of their child. What more did I need to know." Anastasia responded looking at her strangely. "And who are you to question what I have done?"

"Someone who has more right than you do to claim Willow as daughter for all that you're her birth mother." Joyce shot back. "I've been filling in for you and Sheila Rosenberg when Willow hasn't been bringing herself up."

"And as she's been bringing herself up; and then me when it comes to it, for fourteen years that doesn't say much. Sorry Joyce, no offence." Xander ended quickly glancing towards older woman.

"None taken, Xander, I assure you." The Slayer's mother responded with a small smile as she touched his shoulder in reassurance.

"I do not understand what you mean. How can this be so? My senses have never been wrong about these things. Rupert…" The Hungarian woman appealed once more to the Watcher. "I do not understand why you are being so hostile."

"you stole my precious baby daughter from me!" Giles shouted with a sheer ferocity that had the two girls moving slightly away from him and closer to Oz. "YOU damn well TOLD ME SHE WAS DEAD!"

All three teenagers instinctively flinched as the Watcher threw his glasses across the room. He sent them a look of apology but continued venting his wrath. "And you don't understand why I'm being so hostile towards you. Well, ain't that just too bloody bad?"

Ripper was well and truly in the house, however so was the suddenly mature Alexander Harris once again.

"Giles," He stepped forward, once again catching hold of the Watcher's arm. "Giles, you have to calm down. This isn't doing any one any good."

"Yes, and especially before you make Willow faint again," Cordelia added, nodding her head to the now open door of the office.

While the others confronted the woman who had entered the library, Angel laid his precious redhead on the sofa. Closing the door, he moved back Willow, sitting on the sofa next to her, hip to hip. Brushing her hair out of her face, he laid his hand on her cheek willing her to wake up through their link, "Willow, ionúin, wake up."

Seconds later, her eyes sprang open and she looked up at him, an almost desperate look in her green gaze. "Angel, Spike didn't say what I think he said, did he?" She asked him desperately, "I dreamed all that just then."

"No, little one, you didn't." He took her hand, silently worried by just how cold it felt. "He may not have been subtle but I think he summed it up accurately. If this woman is your birth mother, it does appear that Giles could be your real father."

"Dear goddess, Giles could be my father!" Her eyes widened as she said it. "Oh dear goddess, **Giles** could be my father! Angel..?"

"Would it really be a bad thing, Will?" He helped her sit up, running a finger down her cheek. "Ever since he arrived in Sunnydale, you've always been like a father and his daughter. All this does, little one, is give you want you have always wanted, a real father who cares for you."

"But just like this. To come right out of left field like it has. First a mother, and now a father as well" She clutched his hands. "What am I going to do? How do I deal with this?"

"you stole my precious baby daughter from me! YOU damn well TOLD ME SHE WAS DEAD!"

"I think that concludes the case for the defence." Angel murmured wryly as Giles' statement echoed around the small room. "You've both been lied to by the sounds of it, and as Spike is most probably going to put it, bloody royally at that."

"Oh Goddess, he's going to kill her." At the tone in her voice, he moved aside allowing her to spring to her feet, steadying her with a hand at her waist as she lost balance slightly. "That's Ripper talking, Angel, not Giles. We have to do something."

*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*

She pulled the door open just in time to hear her best friend try and calm the irate Watcher down followed closely by Cordelia's statement.

"I'm alright Cordy." She smiled tremulously at the brunette as the vampire put his arm around her waist. "I promise, no more fainting."

"Good, you scared us." Cordelia shot round Giles and directly to her friend's side, hugging her, then took a step backwards to look at her before pulling her over to the table and pushing her down in to a chair. "Now stay there. You're far too pale still and cold as well. Angel, give her your jacket immediately."

"Ma'am, yes ma'am." He replied bringing a slight grin to Willow's cheeks as he reached out for his jacket and placed it around her shoulders, caressing the side of her neck with his thumb.

Their almost normal banter immediately brought the others swarming around them, except for Xander and Spike.

Putting aside their normal hostilities, the two had looked at each other in silent agreement and had moved closer to the two warring adults; the vampire however took the young man's place by the Watcher while the youth moved closer to the older redhead, catching hold of her arm as she moved towards the door once more.

"I wouldn't if I were you, Ms. Esterhazy." He said a note of assurance and warning in his tone. "I'm sure Willow will be ready to speak to you in a moment, and I really don't think she will want to have to go looking for you first."

"I am her mother, young man, I am sure I will be in no danger."

"No, ma'am, you just gave birth to her and abandoned her. Yes, abandoned her." He repeated after catching the look of denial in the green eyes so like yet unlike his best friend's. "We really don't appreciate people who pick us up, drop us and abandon their duties, Ms Esterhazy, and you will not be the last to discover this."

He turned round to find everyone in the library staring at him as if they had never seen him before and his head shot back in puzzlement. "What?"

"Who are you and just what have you done with the real Xander Harris?" Amy murmured, a sly grin playing over her face. "And I hope you threw away the key."

Her last comment help to break the tension as Xander actually spluttered in indignation - Especially as Willow also murmured. "Well it's official. Not only is Amy trying to steal his crown, she's most definitely been hanging round with Spike far too much."

"Willow!" Amy protested immediately. "That's so not true and you know it, on either accusation."

"Isn't it?" Willow looked up at her fellow witch, a slightly knowing look in her eyes before it faded back to the slightly wounded look she had worn on first standing in the office door. "Amy, I need to know, is there a spell we can use to find out if they really are…" She broke off, lowering her lashes over her eyes and leaning back against Angel.

"I don't know, Will. There may be but it's not something I've come across." She chanced a quick glance to where the Watcher seemed to be fixed in stone watching them. "You could ask…"

"Or there's something Peaches or I could do, pet." Spike moved across to join them, showing that he had been listening to the conversation. He had also caught the look of disquiet that had crossed the redhead's face at Amy's suggestion. "You know, it being a blood thing an' all."

"Angel? What am I to do? What should I do?" The plaintive note in her voice immediately had him wrap his arms around her trembling frame. "Oh Goddess, I have to pull myself together."

"It will be all right, Willow." He ran his hand through her hair and then placed his fingers under her chin and raised her eyes to look into them. "Just remember that you have control. The decisions are for you to make and you alone."

"Willow." Only her name yet such a wealth of emotion did it contain.

The others looked at each other, and then parted like the waters at Jordan to allow the redhead a clear view of the Watcher; only Angel remaining close to her, arms still around her, "Yes?"

He took a step forward but then froze unsure as if he should move any closer. Before he could answer her quiet question, the woman at Xander's side spoke up.

"I have a spell to prove I am your mother."

"It's not you I want to know about." Willow snapped back with such scorn it had even Angel looking slightly aghast.

He released her but left his hand on her shoulder. "Will."

"No, Angel, I've just had an inspirational flash...," She shook his hand off and shrugging his jacket off, rose to her feet. Moving forward to stand in front of Anastasia, she continued. "… and worked something out."

"And she is back." Oz murmured as Xander rejoined them. "Now the fireworks will really begin."

"Fireworks I wish she didn't have to deal with." Her best friend murmured back. "Angel is she ready for this?"

"We'll just have to see." The vampire replied as he motioned to Spike to join him. The two vampires moved across to the Watcher, the elder resting his hand on the older man's shoulder. "This is for her, Giles. Your time will come."

All of them turned to the two redheads, mentally comparing them again.

Willow had moved even closer and was now standing nose to nose with the woman who called herself her mother. Her hair was moving slightly as a wind unseen seemed to float around her, an outward sign of her growing power.

"She actually expected to walk into Sunnydale, tell me I was adopted; that she was my real mother, and then expected me leave with her… willingly."

The wind became even stronger and began to blow around the room, and the younger members of the group drew together. Joyce quickly joined the three men, a look of deep concern crossing her face. "Giles, what's going on?"

"Angel, pull Willow away from her mother and take her to the opposite side of the room. Keep yourself between her and Anna at all times. Use the link and calm her down." Giles pulled himself together and the dark-haired vampire nodded.

The three watched as one second he was with them, the next on the opposite of the library with the redhead. He held her in his arms, face buried against his chest as he murmured in her ear. Her arms were around his back, fists clenched and they watched as the small hands uncurled to grip his sweater. Almost simultaneously the wind began to die down.

The Watcher himself moved back to the other redhead's side. "Give me the spell, Anna."

"And just why should I do this?" She replied, hand unconsciously going to a pocket of her coat.

"Because Willow is far too bloody intelligent to just accept word of mouth from someone she doesn't know." He snapped back, holding out his hand. "And you are, without doubt, most definitely not someone she knows."

For a moment she looked at him, deciding as to whether or not to comply but something in his eyes must have convinced her for she ungraciously handed over the scroll in her pocket. "Here, take the thing. I do not need it to know she is our daughter any way. For goodness sake, she looks just like me and she is acting as stubborn as you."

"Thank you for the compliment." He responded mockingly before turning to the other vampire. "Spike, have Amy look this over and see if we have what we need to perform it."

"All ready there!" Once again bypassing the need to be sarcastic, Spike took the scroll and rejoined the teenagers. It was quickly unrolled and after reading through it, Amy dragged Cordelia over to join Willow and Angel.

The vampire immediately positioned himself so that he was between the three girls, a hand on the small of Willow's back as the three girls discussed the spell. Through that slight touch and the link he could feel the tenseness leave the redhead to a certain degree but he could still tell that her normal serenity was out of balance which kept him self on edge.

It was also touched by a sense of amusement by just how Cordelia was doing her best to be a part of the extremely magical conversation that was taking place and actually doing quite a good job of it. He brought his full attention to them as she asked. "So, are we going to do it right now?"

Willow turned and looked at him, a strange look in her green eyes. He also caught the slight question, nodded and she turned back to her friend. "I want to know the truth."

Both Amy and Cordelia moved forward to hug her but typically it was the brunette that asked the pressing question that Angel had already asked.

"And if he is your father?"

*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*

"I will do the spell." Anastasia said imperiously half an hour later.

"No you will not." Willow shot back just a second before Giles responded. "Amy will do the spell. She's not related to any of us, so doesn't have any nefarious reason for seeing the results come out in any certain way."

"I really do not understand why you are all so against me." The elder redhead actually pouted. "I have not done…"

"I really wouldn't go there, Ms Esterhazy." Joyce said swiftly. "You've already caused one explosion with that particular statement." The other woman actually sniffed and had the Slayer's mother rolling her eyes. "Oh do grow up! You're behaving like a child."

"Anna, just go to the table, sit down and for once in your life, keep your mouth shut." He shot the Hungarian a look worthy of Ripper and for the first time since the revelation that he could possibly be her father, Willow touched his arm.

"Giles, losing your temper with her again isn't going to achieve anything. Let Amy cast the spell." She said quietly, returning to where she had been standing beside Angel but not before one of her shy smiles escaped her.

He nodded, took a deep breath and turned back to the other teenagers. "Oz, Cordelia, you can assist Amy. Similar to the way you helped Willow that time."

"One glamorous assistant coming up," Oz responded before actually smiling slyly at the brunette. "So who are you going to be, Cordy?"

She immediately hit his arm. "I am so going to get you for that wolf-boy. Just you wait."

"I'll be shaking in my boots in anticipation." The werewolf responded as they moved to join the second witch.

Shaking his head at their banter, the Watcher turned to the five remaining. "Xander, Joyce, I know this will be imposing on you but…"

"You want us to stay with her." Xander finished, "As you command, G-man. Joyce, let me escort you." He held out his arm to her, a charming smile playing around his lips.

"And Xander…"

"I know, I know." He grinned over his shoulder at him, "Anything else?"

"Don't let her interfere."

"That was a given, Giles." The young man promptly escorted his former friend's mother over to where the elder redhead sat.

The Watcher turned round to find Spike standing with his sire and the petite redhead. The blond vampire was murmuring something in her ear that had her giggling slightly and Angel shaking his head as he rolled his eyes before hitting him.

Shaking his own head, he looked towards the other witch of the Slayerettes, "Ready Amy?"

She took a deep breath, shared a speaking look with the other two teenagers and then nodded. "Let's give you and Willow some peace of mind."

*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*

_Sorry for the long delay, RL got so very much in the way._

_It may take a while before the next part goes up as well so I hope you all can forgive me but I promise I have not forgotten about this story. It will be finished._

_I look forward to seeing what you have to say :0p_


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